Virat Kohli is not among the runs in the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh. In the first Test at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, the star India batter scored six and 17 runs. He was well set in the second innings having faced 36 balls but fell to spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz after opting against review the on-field umpire’s lbw decision.
To Kohli and India’s dismay, it later emerged that the ball had faintly brushed off his bat before hitting on the pads and he would have survived had he opted to challenge the decision
BIn the meantime, veteran Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has commented that “big players lose concentration against weak teams,” providing insight into Kohli’s batting difficulties. The Bangladesh series is being billed as the ideal lead-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour of Australia. Basit said that Australia will be a strong opponent for the 35-year-old because they will bring out the best in him. Kohli, in particular, has dominated in Australia.
“Virat will play Australia to get back to its best. He’ll enjoy Australia’s fast-paced cricket pitches. Big players perform better against more formidable opponents but frequently lose focus against weaker teams, according to Basit on his YouTube channel.
Although they have won two series in Australia, people claim that India wins at home: Basit Ali
In the World Test Championship table, India is at the top of the points table. Australia, who is in second place, comes next. Additionally, India won the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and successfully defended it at home in 2023. India will effectively defend the championship in November and December of this year, according to Basit.
“While it’s true that India wins at home, they have also won two series in Australia. Later this year, India won’t let Australia win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” he continued.
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In the interim, Kohli will be participating in the second Test matchup with Bangladesh, which is set to start in Kolkata on September 27.