"It's a home away from home for them" - Sanjay Manjrekar backs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to come good in 2024/25 BGT
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar backed the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to prosper in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. India will take on Australia in a mouthwatering five-Test series, starting in Perth on November 22.
While the Asian giants upstaged Australia in their last bilateral Test series and have won the previous four, their recent form is a worry. Rohit Sharma's men suffered a shocking 0-3 home series whitewash against New Zealand before the Australian tour.
Central to their concerns will be Kohli and Rohit's poor form, with the duo averaging under 16 in the three New Zealand Tests. Yet, speaking to Star Sports in a preview of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Manjrekar opined that the Australian pitches will suit the two stalwarts better than home tracks.
"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be thinking 'it's good. we are going to play in a home away from home'. They were struggling a lot on turning pitches. Facing pace and bounce is not a problem for Rohit Sharma. If you have seen Virat Kohli in South Africa the last time India toured there, he was looking like India's best player. For him, there will be a sigh of relief. It's a home away from home for them," he said.
Kohli has often batted his best in Tests in Australia, evidenced by his incredible average of over 54 in 13 matches Down Under. However, Australia hasn't been too kind to Rohit, with the Indian skipper averaging a sub-par 31.38 in seven Tests.
"Virat knows exactly what's going to be planned" - Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Virat Kohli will be fully aware of Australia's plan to test his patience outside off-stump. Despite a stellar overall Test record with over 9,000 runs, the 36-year-old has often been caught driving loosely away from his body and nicking off.
Manjrekar said:
"Virat knows exactly what's going to be planned. They'll obviously start with that line outside the off-stump and gauge what his mood is. Generally these days he looks to leave balls outside the off-stump and if they have anything that's pitched right up, he'll look to drive," said Manjrekar.
Kohli has scored six out of his 29 Test centuries in Australia, and his 1,329 Test runs Down Under is his most in any country outside India. The champion cricketer was also the first Indian captain to lead his side to a Test series win in Australia in 2018/19.