India Head coach Ravi Shastri believes Virat Kohli has come back as a more mature player than he was when India visited Australian shores four years back in 2014-15.
“He is a professional, he has matured now,” Shastri said in Brisbane where India are preparing for the first T20 of the tour on Wednesday. “What you saw of him four years ago, he has played all around the globe since then, he has captained the side. That alone comes with a tag of responsibility, which has fit well on his shoulders and he has fit extremely well, and he will not put his put his foot off the pedal now.”
The last time Kohli was in Australia, he amassed 692 runs in four Tests with four centuries and a half-century at an average of 86.50. He has since then reigned supreme in all formats of the game scoring in all parts of the world. He is by far India’s leading run-scorer in Tests and ODIs in 2018 and has done equally well in the 20-over format despite not playing too many games.
Shastri said that Kohli loved coming to Australia especially because the pitches suited his style of play and he was confident the India captain will do well yet again.
“Kohli loves coming to Australia, he is passionate, about the game, the pitches here suit his style of play and once you have done well in this part of the world you will always want to come out and play well again,” he said.
“I think it is a great place to play cricket, they play hard, the public, the sporting public really appreciates the tough cricket. It does not matter which sides wins or loses as long as there is competition, I know the people love it. Whether it is the media, whether it is the people watching it on television or at the ground.”
Although India kickstart their Australian tour with three T20Is, the focus has already shifted to the four-match Test series that follows. The Indians have never won a Test series in Australia in 11 attempts, having lost 8 and drawn 3.
