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During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has instructed players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc to frequently target Virat Kohli's front pad. In the event that the first strategy fails, Healy also instructed the Australian quicks to attempt to attack the Indian star batter's body during the series.
Due to his struggles for runs, Kohli is not in his greatest form going into the series. In six games, the 36-year-old has only amassed 250 runs at an average of 22.72. However, Healy wants the quicks to attack Kohli while he is on the defensive, so Australian players and commentators are concerned that the Indian batsman will find his touch in land down under.
Healy on Kohli
The Australian icon told SEN Radio that he wants bowlers to use it as an impact ball rather than constantly do it.
"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 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," Healy was quoted saying to SEN Radio.
"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," he added
Healy continued by saying that if the front foot strategy does not work, they should attempt to "body bash" Kohli by hitting his armpit and forcing him to jump if he must make those deliveries.
"If that’s (front-foot tactic) not working, body bash. Bowl at the back armpit, that’s the right arm as a right-handed batsmanâ€æ and it’s got to be hot. Have him jumping at times if he wants to ride those deliveries — ducking, weaving or bending backwards. 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. So that’s the second tactic, body bashing," Healy said.
