Brisbane: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged Virat Kohli to draw inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic innings in Sydney in 2004 to overcome his recent struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump.
Kohli, who started the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia with a century in Perth, has since faltered, failing to cross 15 runs in his last four innings. His latest dismissal for just 3 runs in the first innings of the third Test at the Gabba underscored his vulnerability against the Australian pacers’ disciplined lines.
Speaking to broadcasters after Kohli’s soft dismissal, Gavaskar emphasised the importance of adapting and showing mental discipline, drawing a parallel with Tendulkar’s historic unbeaten 241 in Sydney during the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“Yes, I think practice is different, but what happens in the middle is different. The mindset is completely different. What happens in practice is, you know, if you play a bad shot, you can get away with it. But in the match, if you are out, you are out,” Gavaskar said.
Kohli walked in with the intent to stabilise India’s innings after a shaky start. However, Josh Hazlewood exploited Kohli’s eagerness, tempting him into playing a wide delivery that resulted in a thick edge to Alex Carey behind the stumps. It was a dismissal reminiscent of Kohli’s recent pattern - chasing balls outside off-stump, often caught in the slip cordon.
Gavaskar noted this flaw and advised Kohli to revisit how Tendulkar addressed a similar issue during his 2004 Sydney knock.
In the Sydney Test of the 2003-04 series, Tendulkar entered the match under intense scrutiny. Struggling with form, he had been dismissed repeatedly while attempting the cover drive, a stroke that had always been his strength but had become his Achilles’ heel during that series. Recognizing the Australian bowlers’ strategy, Tendulkar decided to completely eliminate the cover drive from his game. IANS
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