“He’s the fire burning so brightly and deeply inside of him” – Shane Watson warns Australia not to trigger Virat Kohli in 2024-25 BGT
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has warned the hosts not to trigger Virat Kohli during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Watson reckoned Kohli failed to maintain his intensity over the last few years and Australian players should keep their boundaries against the Delhi batter as sledging could bring out the best in him.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Kohli could return to his very best owing to his terrific form Down Under. Notably, the right-handed batter has 1352 runs in Australia at a strike rate of 54.08, including six centuries and four 50s.
Shane Watson recently told Willow Talk Podcast (via The Times of India):
“The one thing that I know about Virat Kohli is because he's the fire burning so brightly and deeply inside of him, the intensity that he brings to every ball that he is engaging in a game has been superhuman. But there have been moments in his career when that fire started to go out because it is so hard to maintain that intensity.”
“That is where the Australian team needs to leave him alone, and hope that he doesn't bring that intensity. If he brings that, then that just shuts everything out, and that's when he will be at his very best. But if stuff is going on and that intensity is not there, then you see that not the best version of Virat,” he added.
“He’ll be very very hungry” – Sunil Gavaskar warns Australia of Virat Kohli ahead of 2024-25 BGT
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar also recently warned Australia of Virat Kohli ahead of the five-match Test series. He reminded everyone of his excellent performances in Australia, particularly in Adelaide and Perth.
Gavaskar told Star Sports (via Lokmat Times):
“Because he hasn't got runs against New Zealand, he'll be very, very hungry. Even in that Adelaide Test match, wherein the second innings we got all out for 36, in the first innings, Kohli got 70 plus, if I recall correctly, before being run out. He's consistently performed at Adelaide, so it's a familiar ground for him. And before Adelaide, it's Perth, where he played one of the finest Test centuries in 2018-19. A terrific hundred.”
“Having performed on these grounds, he'll feel that extra bit of confidence. Of course, you need a bit of luck at the start, but if he gets off to a good start, he will get big runs,” he added.
Virat Kohli smashed 123 runs in his lone Test in Perth in 2018. He has scored three tons in Adelaide – 116 in 2012 and 115, 141 (both innings of the same Test) in 2014.
The first Test of the five-match series begins in Perth on Friday, November 22.