Virat Kohli bats in rain ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener
What's the story
Star Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has won hearts on the internet with his relentless commitment to practice. Journalist Bharat Sundaresan, on November 19, reported that despite heavy rains disrupting India's first practice at Perth's Optus Stadium, Kohli continued his batting session in the nets. The show of commitment happened during a long practice session of a few Indian batters. Kohli will have the spotlight in the impending 1st Test against Australia in Perth, starting November 22.
Practice persistence
Kohli's practice session cut short due to worsening weather
As the rain got heavier, the practice session had to be called off early. Though he was initially reluctant to stop, Kohli was eventually forced to get back to the dressing room along with his teammates. This incident further proved his determination and commitment toward cricket, traits that have been widely lauded and praised by social media users.
Anticipated performance
Gavaskar confident in Kohli's performance for upcoming trophy
Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener in Perth, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was confident Kohli will find his form. He said Kohli's past successes on Australian pitches made him optimistic. "Because he hasn't got runs against New Zealand, he'll be very, very hungry," Gavaskar told Star Sports.
Record review
Gavaskar highlights Kohli's consistent performance on Australian grounds
Further, Gavaskar emphasized on Kohli's consistent performance on Australian grounds, especially Perth and Adelaide. He remembered the 2020 Adelaide Test, where despite a team total of 36 in the first innings, Kohli had scored more than 70 runs in the second. "He's consistently performed at Adelaide, so it's a familiar ground for him," Gavaskar added.
Patch
Kohli in downward spiral
Kohli has been in a downward spiral with 4, 1, 1, 17, and 0 in his recent outings. In 2024, he has managed 488 runs in 19 international matches across formats, averaging 20.33. His top score this year is 76 and he has just two fifties from 25 innings. Since 2020, Kohli has been enduring a rough patch in Test cricket, having scored 1,838 runs from 34 Tests at an average of nearly 32.