As the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches, team India faces a turbulent lead-up to the first Test in Perth. A historic home series whitewash before their departure to Australia, combined with an increasing list of injuries, has left their preparation in disarray. Captain Rohit Sharma’s unavailability due to personal reasons and opener Shubman Gill’s thumb fracture sustained during a practice session further increased their worries. Additionally, the bowling department seems vulnerable with the absence of pacer Mohammad Shami.
Amidst these challenges, former captain Virat Kohli is under immense pressure to perform. Virat Kohli’s track record in Australia has been commendable but his recent form has raised concerns. His lackluster performance against New Zealand at home, yielding just 93 runs across six innings, and a prolonged gap since his last Test century against West Indies in 2023, highlight a dip in form. The upcoming series is crucial, possibly marking Virat Kohli’s final tour to Australia for Tests, with the spotlight firmly on him to revive his stellar performances Down Under.
The former Indian cricket legend Sourav Ganguly expressed his confidence in Virat Kohli, emphasising the batter’s proven record on the Australian pitches. During an interview, Sourav Ganguly stated that Virat is a champion batter who has tasted success in Australia in the past. Ganguly further added that Virat Kohli has scored 4 hundreds in 2014 and 1 century in 2018 as well. Sourav Ganguly is of the opinion that Virat Kohli will make this series count because he knows it may be his last Australia tour so this series is huge for him in every sense.
He downplayed Kohli’s recent struggles against New Zealand, attributing them to difficult pitches, and believed that Australia’s conducive conditions could help him regain form.
On a more positive note, Sourav Ganguly highlighted the impressive performance of young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel in a recent match against Australia A. Despite India A’s loss by six wickets, Jurel’s twin fifties stood out. Ganguly praised Jurel’s solid technique and said that he feels Dhruv Jurel will get a chance to play in the first Test match in the middle order.
Hopefully, the expectations of every Indian cricket fan will be fulfilled and Virat Kohli will play some big innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
