India's star batter Virat Kohli may not be the best of forms of late in red-ball cricket but he is talk of the town ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He has dominated newspaper headlines and former cricketers have touted him to excel in these conditions. Kohli has a good record in Australia with six Test centuries to his name. Ahead of the first encounter in Perth, former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Ian Healy has chalked out the plan for Pat Cummins' side to dismiss him. Healy wants the quicks to welcome him with a barrage of short balls on the bouncy track of Perth.
“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 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.”
Kohli averages over 54 from 13 Tests in Australia and slated to break a few records in the five-Test series.
Kohli's front pad to be targetted?
If the short balls don't work, Healy wants Kohli to target his front pad.
“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,” the 60-year-old said.
“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."
The last time Kohli played in Perth, he scored 123 but in a losing cause. He is the only Asian batter to score a Test century at the venue.
