As the clash between the Insurging Indians and the Almighty Australians comes closer, every eye keen to cricketing greatness starts looking for Virat Kohli. A player who has coined by many, to be the most Australian out of all players in Team India. Over the past few years, King Kohli has been struggling with the bat in hand. Especially in the red ball format of the game. And as the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy draws closer, inevitably so, people have started questioning Virat Kohli once again.
They say the Greatest Heroes stand up in their Darkest Hour. And if there was ever a time for Virat Kohli to roar again, it would be right now. After all, he is returning to the country where he stepped into the foothills of greatness as a 26 year old when he captained a young Indian side in Australia and damn near snatched victory on the back of his individual brilliance on a number of occasions. His iconic face-off against Mitchell Johnson is one for the history books.
But many people forget, just before his triumphs in Australia in 2014-15, Virat had the worst phase of his career in England in 2014. Back then, people questioned his ability to bat in foreign conditions, and brandished him as a fraud. Now after another career low in Test cricket, people are questioning his place in the team yet again. But if there is one player who can turn back time and repeat history, it is Virat Kohli, and Ravi Shastri and David Warner agree.
What Did Shastri And Warner Say About Virat Kohli?
Talking to Sanjana Ganeshan on a recent coverage of The ICC Review, Ravi Shastri, India’s former Head Coach gave a statement about the former Captain. Shastri gave a message to all the doubters of King Kohli, saying “Well, the King is back in his territory. That’s all I will tell them.” He further continued, “When you’ve earned that title after your exploits in Australia, it will be on your (opponent’s) mind when you go out to bat.”
Just a few days later, David Warner, the former Australian Test Cricketer, who retired from tests in January 2024, warned his Australian compatriots about Virat Kohli. Writing in a column of The Herald Sun, Warner wrote, “This is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and we know Virat always steps up in Australia and completely embraces that challenge like almost no one else who has ever visited our shores. There is no better way for him to come out and shut the critics up. I’m genuinely worried for the Australian cricket team that he’s going to come out and pile on some runs.”
Do you feel King Kohli will be back to his best on his old playground, Australia? Will the Phoenix of Indian Cricket rise from his Ashes? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
