[Watch] Virat Kohli sweats it out in the nets ahead of 1st IND vs NZ Test 2024

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli was seen putting in the effort during net practice ahead of the first Test against New Zealand on Monday, October 14. The three-match Test series will begin on Wednesday, October 16, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The second match will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, starting October 24, while the final game will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, beginning November 1.

As India prepares for this crucial Test series, Kohli has been seen fine-tuning his skills.

Here’s a video of Virat Kohli practicing in the nets:

The Delhi-born cricketer appeared to be in good form during the second Test against Bangladesh, scoring a rapid 47 runs off 35 balls in the first innings. In the second innings, the 35-year-old finished unbeaten on 29 runs off 37 balls, contributing to India's convincing seven-wicket victory over the Bangla Tigers.

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“He is a world-class cricketer” - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli

At a press conference on October 14, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir noted that Virat Kohli is just as eager to contribute now as he was early in his career. He expressed optimism that Kohli would perform well in the upcoming series against New Zealand and then in Australia.

Gambhir said:

“He is a world-class cricketer. He has performed for such a long period of time and he is as hungry as when he made his debut. I remember opening the batting with him when he made his debut in Sri Lanka. To now, his hunger is always there and is already there. And that is what makes him a world class cricketer and I am sure that he will be hungry to get runs in this series and probably moving forward to Australia as well.”

Virat Kohli has appeared in 115 Test matches for India, accumulating 8,947 runs at an average of 48.89, with 30 fifties and 29 centuries to his name.

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