"I don't know when Virat is going to come back to Australia again" - MSK Prasad on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma needing to deliver in BGT 2024-25
MSK Prasad has acknowledged that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma need to fire with the bat for India to do well in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He highlighted that he isn't aware when Kohli will be traveling to Australia, where the modern batting great has enjoyed great success, after the upcoming tour.
India are currently playing New Zealand in a three-match Test series, with the final game starting in Mumbai on Friday, November 1. They will subsequently travel to Australia for a five-Test series, with the first game scheduled to be played in Perth from November 22 onwards.
During a discussion on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues', Prasad responded in the affirmative when asked whether India need Kohli and Rohit to deliver against Australia.
"Absolutely right, because if they don't step up and inspire, the rest will find it very difficult. Both of their styles suit these kinds of conditions much better. Anything hard and bouncy, both of them really enjoy," he said.
"I don't know when Virat is going to come back to Australia again but he would love to complete this series on a very, very high and top-notch performance, and that's what exactly I am expecting both from Virat and Rohit," the former India wicketkeeper-batter added.
Kohli has amassed 1,352 runs at an average of 54.08 in 13 Tests in Australia. Rohit hasn't been as successful, aggregating 408 runs at an average of 31.38 in seven Tests Down Under.
"Virat Kohli is like a duck getting into the water when he goes to Australia" - MSK Prasad
![Virat Kohli has scored six Test centuries in Australia. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/66fa0-17301800162944-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same discussion, MSK Prasad noted that Virat Kohli feels at home in Australian conditions.
"Virat Kohli is like a duck getting into the water when he goes to Australia. He loves these conditions and probably he must be eagerly itching to just finish off this Wankhede Test match and then go and play in Australia because he loves that," he said.
While pointing out that Kohli likes playing against challenging attacks, the former India selector added that Rohit also played a fantastic knock against the Aussies in Adelaide on the 2018 tour.
"He loves those challenges and sometimes champion cricketers bring their best game against the champion side and champion attack, and this is the attack that he would definitely love. Even Rohit Sharma, in one of the Test matches in Adelaide in 2018, he played a splendid knock," Prasad observed.
Rohit scored 37 runs and stitched together a crucial partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara (123) after India had been reduced to 41/4 in the first innings of the 2018 Adelaide Test. He followed that up with an unbeaten 63 in India's first innings of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, with the visitors winning both those games in the 2-1 series victory.