As India take on Australia in World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final, former skipper Virat Kohli feels focus, concentration and discipline is the need of the hour for batters against Australian pacers. Both India and Australia have had a poor record at Kennington Oval, London. While India have won just two of 14 Tests, Australia have won seven of 38 Tests in their long history against the English. Like most pitches, the Oval pitch is expected to assist the pacers as well. Ahead of the final, Kohli has asked batters to be cautious on a challenging track.
"I think The Oval will be challenging, we won't get a flat wicket and batters need to be cautious. We will need to concentrate on our focus and discipline," Kohli told Star Sports.
"So you need to have the experience to play as per the conditions and we cannot go in with the expectation that The Oval pitch will play as it always has. So we have to adjust and adapt, we have only one match in a neutral venue so whoever adapts better will win the match.
“This is the beauty of the World Test Championship, two neutral teams with no home advantage, so it will be very exciting to see how both teams adapt to the situation.”
Indian batting lineup failed to put up a fight when they faced New Zealand bowlers in seaming conditions. Kohli believes that in order to dominate in these conditions, one needs to find a balance between scoring runs and defending the good balls.
"Toughest part of playing in overcast and seaming conditions in England is understanding and choosing the balls that you need to hit. The balance between scoring runs and playing with a solid technique is very important.
"You can't walk out so much that you are just standing there to get out and you can't be over aggressive either.
"To get that balance right is the only way you can put pressure and it confuses the bowlers that the good ball is being respected and the bad balls are sent away, decision making becomes very crucial in that stage," Kohli added.
Kohli also talked about the rivalry between the two sides and also how Australian players have started giving more respect after two Border Gavasakar Trophy series wins in Australia and one at home earlier this year.
"Rivalry was intense in the beginning, the environment was also very tense. But since we have won in Australia twice, the rivalry has turned into respect and we are not taken lightly anymore as a Test team," the 34-year-old said.
"We can feel that respect when we play against Australia, that 'they have beaten us twice in our own backyard back-to-back and it will be a battle of equals'." "There used be tension in the air which is not the case now. When you achieve a standing, make your presence felt in the ground no one takes you lightly."
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