Virat Kohli has been the talk of the town ever since he landed in Australia. Be it the local newspapers, media houses, former players, commentators or broadcasters, everyone seems to be talking about him ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 36-year-old is not in the greatest of forms at the moment. His average in Test cricket in 2024 reads a mere 22.72 with only one half-century to his name. In fact, he has averaged below 30 in four out of the last five years in Test cricket. There have been calls that the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy could be his last and want him to be dropped if he doesn’t perform well.
However, David Warner has warned the Australian team. The former left-handed opener believes that Kohli is someone who always steps up in Australia and loves challenges. He thinks that the India No. 4 could well pile on the runs and Warner is ‘worried for the Australian team’.
“This is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and we know Virat [Kohli] 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,” David Warner wrote in his column for Herald Sun.
The former Indian captain never backs down from a challenge. He has had his altercations with the Australian crowd as well, who are known to be hostile. But he has the ability to use that to his advantage and convert that to big performances. That is something that Warner pointed out as well.
“Virat knows how to channel the energy of Australian crowds and turn it into motivation. He thrives on these big occasions, and this series is exactly that,” Warner added.
Kohli and his excellent record in Australia
The Delhi-born cricketer has a superb record in Australia. No visiting player has scored more runs in Australia than Kohli since his Test debut. He has amassed 1352 runs in 13 Test matches which have come at an average of 54.08. He has racked up six hundreds and four fifties.
Thus, Kohli will be crucial to India’s chances. In a relatively inexperienced batting line-up, especially for the first Test where Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are unlikely to feature, the onus will be on the big player to step up.
