Cricket

Virat Kohli, the batting maestro of Team India, has commenced his preparations for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia. Kohli arrived in Perth on Sunday, ahead of his teammates, to kick-start his training regimen at the WACA training pitches.Kohli's early arrival underscores his commitment to acclimatizing to the Australian conditions and fine-tuning his game before the series opener. During Wednesday's training session, he displayed sharp focus and precision, particularly against short-pitched, high-speed deliveries. This preparation is crucial, given Australia's formidable pace attack.Kohli's previous experiences on Perth pitches provide him with both familiarity and a reminder of the challenges ahead. In his 2012 Perth Test debut, he showcased resilience with scores of 44 and 75. His 2018 return to Perth, as captain at Optus Stadium, saw him score a stunning 123, demonstrating his batting prowess against Australia's pace attack.Kohli's early arrival in Perth signals his intent to address the specific challenges posed by Australian pitches, particularly the short-of-length deliveries that they are known for. The first group of Indian players arrived in Perth on Sunday, while the remaining members, except for captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, joined them on Monday.Rohit's availability for the first Test remains uncertain, as Gambhir stated that a final decision will be made closer to the match date. Despite the uncertainty surrounding Rohit's availability, Kohli's commitment and early preparation set the tone for India's warm-up for what promises to be a fiercely contested Border-Gavaskar series.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a highly anticipated five-Test series between India and Australia, is set to commence on November 22. This edition marks several significant milestones and potential farewells for legendary players.Australia has historically been a challenging destination for visiting teams, but India has performed admirably in their recent tours. Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, who was part of the 2014-15 BGT squad, emphasizes the importance of character and aggression for success in Australia.Raina highlights the crucial role of Virat Kohli, who has been instrumental in India's past victories. Despite his recent struggles, Raina believes Kohli's experience and determination will be vital. However, he acknowledges that Kohli may face challenges against spinners on turning tracks at home.Rohit Sharma's absence due to personal reasons presents an opportunity for Jasprit Bumrah to lead the team. Raina praises Bumrah's leadership qualities and believes he has the potential to become a future leader in Test cricket.The embarrassing series whitewash against New Zealand has raised questions about coach Gautam Gambhir's performance. Raina defends Gambhir, citing his impressive record as a player and coach.With Rohit likely to miss the first Test, India faces a dilemma in finding an opening partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal. Raina suggests KL Rahul or Dhruv Jurel as potential options. He particularly praises Jurel's patience and defensive technique, which could prove valuable in Australia.Raina also expresses confidence in India's pace attack, despite its relative lack of experience. He highlights the potential of Prasidh Krishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep, who he believes can be effective with their line and length in Australia.

India's Test captain Rohit Sharma's participation in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) remains uncertain, but Australia is determined to target him relentlessly whenever he takes the field. Former Australian leg-spinner Kerry O'Keeffe believes that Australia's pace attack, led by Michael Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, will put Rohit under immense pressure.Rohit's recent Test form has been underwhelming, with just 133 runs in 10 innings leading up to the BGT. Despite India's 2-0 sweep against Bangladesh, Rohit acknowledged his subpar performance as captain during the embarrassing 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand.O'Keeffe emphasized Australia's historical strategy of targeting visiting captains, stating, "Rohit Sharma may miss one or two Tests, but he is the captain, and Australia always tries to torpedo the visiting captain. It's been a tactic they've used forever, and I think they'll go very hard at Rohit Sharma."Along with Rohit, Virat Kohli, India's other star batsman, has also been under scrutiny due to his extended lean patch. In six Tests in 2024, Kohli has scored only 250 runs in 12 innings, including a solitary half-century.O'Keeffe believes that Australia should remain cautious of Kohli, who has been a formidable opponent for the Aussies in the past. He said, "Kohli, who has worried them (Australia) over the years, what a stunning player he's been; but in sport, if you sense that the king of the jungle is slightly weaker, you poke a bit of cheek at him. I'm fascinated to see what Virat Kohli ends up with at the end of the summer. It could be the decisive point in the whole summer.""If he has an absolutely blazing series, India could win," O'Keeffe added.The first Test of the BGT begins on November 22 in Perth, and the outcome of the series could hinge on the performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's pre-departure press conference ignited a verbal spat with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Gambhir defended Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's recent form, questioning Ponting's comments.Ponting, in response, labeled Gambhir as a "prickly character" and expressed surprise at his reaction. However, he clarified that his initial comments were not intended as a dig at Kohli."I actually followed it up by saying he's played well in Australia and he'll be keen to bounce back over here," Ponting said. "If you ask Virat, I'm sure he would be a little bit concerned that he hasn't been able to make the same amount of hundreds as he has in previous years."Kohli's form has been a concern, with the former India captain scoring just 488 runs in 25 innings across formats in 19 international matches this year.Gambhir, however, remains confident in Kohli and Sharma's abilities. "They (Kohli and Rohit) are incredibly tough men; they've achieved a lot for Indian cricket and are going to achieve a lot in future as well," he said.India's upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia is crucial for their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC). The team had their first practice session at the WACA stadium in Perth on Tuesday and will open the series at the Optus Stadium in the same city on November 22.

Virat Kohli's Attacking Mindset Draws Praise from Former India Spinner Laxman SivaramakrishnanFormer India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has lauded Virat Kohli's aggressive on-field approach, comparing it to the legendary Vivian Richards. In a recent interview on Sony Sport's Tamil Cricket Podcast - Cricket Petta, Sivaramakrishnan praised Kohli's ability to intimidate bowlers with his eyes and celebrate his emotions on the field."Kohli's attacking attitude is something that he himself enjoys and celebrates. You should show your emotions. You shouldn't be like a machine on the ground. You should have an attitude like Sir Vivian Richards who would intimidate bowlers with his eyes," Sivaramakrishnan said.Sivaramakrishnan also named Kohli and MS Dhoni as the best red and white ball captains respectively. "Kohli's attacking attitude and MS Dhoni's calm demeanour. For me, the red ball best captain is Virat and the white ball is Dhoni," he said.The veteran spinner also recalled his playing days under Sunil Gavaskar, whom he considers the best captain he played under. "Sunil Gavaskar was the best captain, I played under. He was very good with strategy and analytical in approach. Kapil Dev was a very instinctive captain. He will go with his gut instinct. He gave an extra over to Madan Lal in 1983, that's instinctive captaincy," Sivaramakrishnan said.Sivaramakrishnan further praised Gavaskar's ability to give players freedom and Venkataraghavan's excellent leadership skills. "With Sunil Gavaskar, you can ask for anything but you have to justify it, why you want to do it. If you do that he will give you the freedom to set your fields and plan your attack. Venkataraghavan was also an excellent captain, he was wonderful as captain," he added.

Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed confidence in the form of star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, despite their recent struggles against spin bowling. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the team's departure for the Test series against Australia, Gambhir dismissed concerns over the duo's form, emphasizing their hunger to perform."I have no concerns over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's form. The hunger in that dressing room is important for me, and I feel there is a lot of hunger," Gambhir said.Gambhir's defense of Sharma and Kohli comes after the team's humiliating Test series loss against New Zealand at home. Both batters struggled to score runs, leading to criticism from experts and fans alike. However, Gambhir believes that the duo will bounce back in Australia."There are incredible people in the dressing room who have done a great job," Gambhir said. "I am not feeling the heat. It's an honor and privilege to coach the Indian team."Gambhir also addressed the team's options for the opener's slot, with KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran being considered alongside Sharma. He also confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah will lead the side in the series-opening Perth Test if Sharma is unavailable for personal reasons.The first Test between India and Australia starts in Perth on November 22. Gambhir expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform well, despite the challenges they face."I am not thinking about transition but the five Test matches. Transition or no transition, if that has to happen, will happen, but I see some incredibly tough characters in that dressing room who are hungry to do well," Gambhir said.

Virat Kohli, the former Indian captain and batting mainstay, has been enduring a prolonged slump in form, casting a shadow over Team India's aspirations. In 2024, Kohli has managed only two international half-centuries, with his struggles against spinners becoming increasingly evident.During the recent Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Kohli's troubles against spin intensified. In the two Tests against Bangladesh, he scored 99 runs at an average of 33.00, with a highest of 47. Against New Zealand, his bat failed to make an impact in six innings, except for one where he scored 70. His overall tally against the Kiwis was a meager 93 runs at an average of 15.50.As India prepares for the first Test in Perth on November 22, Kohli will be desperate to rediscover his form. He has played two Tests in Perth previously, scoring 44 and 75 in 2012 and a magnificent 123 in 2018. That century at the Optus Stadium was his 25th in Tests, making him the second-fastest to reach the milestone after Sir Don Bradman.Kohli's 123 in Perth was a display of batting mastery. He arrived at the crease with India in trouble at 8/2, but played a superb innings to guide his team to a respectable total. His celebration, pointing to his bat and motioning that it would do the talking, became an iconic moment.However, India lost that Test by 146 runs, and Kohli's form has continued to be a concern. With India needing to win four Tests in Australia to qualify directly for the World Test Championships final, Kohli's return to form is crucial.Despite speculation that the Australia tour could be Kohli's last in Tests, the 36-year-old remains focused on rediscovering his red-ball prowess. His experience and leadership will be invaluable to India's chances of success Down Under.

Team India is poised to embark on a historic mission to Australia, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph on foreign soil. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian squad is determined to overcome recent setbacks and secure a berth in the World Test Championship final.Despite a disappointing 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand, former India pacer and chief selector Chetan Sharma exudes confidence in the team's ability to excel in Australia. "I am 100 percent sure India will beat Australia in Australia," Sharma declared. "We have always enjoyed when India tour Australia, South Africa, or England. The best part is that we now enter as series-winning contenders whenever we tour overseas."Sharma believes the pressure will be on Australia, not India, as the hosts have been defeated twice in their own backyard by the visiting team. "They must be worried, not us," he said. "Pressure is on Australia, not India. The pressure is on Pat Cummins, not Rohit Sharma."While star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been struggling for form, Sharma remains optimistic about their contributions. "Players like Rohit and Virat are never out of form," he said. "They are never in a lean or bad patch. These words shouldn't be used for them. We are thankful to them. They are still doing it."Sharma also praised young talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who have been thriving under the guidance of experienced players like Kohli and Rohit. "Shubman and Yashasvi have impressed me a lot," he said. "They have learned a lot from Virat and Rohit while sharing the field and dressing room with them."The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series will commence with the opening Test in Perth on November 22, followed by a day-night Test at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. The series will then move to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18, followed by the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. The fifth and final Test will be held in Sydney, starting on January 3.

Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batsman, is approaching the twilight of his illustrious career. While his recent form has raised concerns, many believe he still has much to offer. However, Australian media reports suggest that the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) could mark Kohli's farewell from the Australian shores.Kohli's prolific batting has waned in recent times. In 2024, he has scored only 488 runs in 25 innings across formats, averaging a meager 20.33. In Test cricket, he has managed just 192 runs in 10 innings against Bangladesh and New Zealand.Despite his recent struggles, Kohli remains a formidable force. He has a proven track record of success in Australia, having scored India's lone century in the 2012 series. The Herald Sun report acknowledges Kohli's impact on the Australia-India rivalry, stating that he "defined" it for the past decade.However, the report also suggests that Kohli's time in Australia may be coming to an end. It highlights the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, a left-handed opener who is seen as Kohli's potential successor. Jaiswal has impressed in recent months, establishing himself as one of India's most exciting young batters.While Jaiswal's potential is undeniable, it would be premature to write off Kohli just yet. India, the current holders of the BGT, have won their last two Test series in Australia. Kohli's experience and leadership will be crucial as India aims to retain the trophy.The BGT begins with the Perth Test on November 22. It will be a fascinating series, with Kohli's future in Australia hanging in the balance.