Virat Kohli during India’s 3-day simulation game© AFP
Virat Kohli loves to perform against Australia but the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour isn’t expected to be a bed of roses for him. Struggling for form over the last year or so, Virat has big expectations on his shoulders in the 5-match assignment. While Ricky Ponting is among those Australian cricketers who expect Kohli to bounce back Down Under, another great cricketer from the nation, Ian Healy, is busy crafting plans to counter the threat that the India batter poses. Giving a piece of advice to Pat Cummins and other Australian pacers, Healy has asked the Australian bowlers to cramp Kohli for space by bowling him in the body.
“Body bash. Bowl at the back armpit, that’s the right arm as a right-handed batsman … and it’s got to be hot,” Healy told SENQ Breakfast. “Have him jumping at times if he wants to ride those deliveries – ducking, weaving, or bending backward.
Healy wants a short-leg fielder to be placed for Virat, especially during the early part of his stay in the crease.
“Get that short leg position right next to him on the leg side and if you need a bumper, it’s got to go at the badge. He might try to bust out of a hard spell with a hook shot or pull shot and that will be hard to control if it’s badge height.”
“The first matchup I’m looking at is how our quicks can bowl to Virat Kohli, and I think they should target his front pad quite often,” he said.
Healy feels there would be signs of insecurity in Kohli’s game, owing to the lack of form his displayed against New Zealand in the recently-concluded series. He wants Australian pacers to expose that.
“He sits that front foot there and he can play from anywhere – he can play square on the off-side, he can whip onto the leg-side or he can rock back … but they’ve got to look for any sort of insecurity in his form and maybe target that front pad.
“But don’t do it every ball because he’ll get used to it … it’s the impact ball that has to be on the front pad after he is set up with seam.”
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