Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed veteran batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to do well in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The cricketer-turned-commentator acknowledges that Kohli and Smith have fallen behind in the 'Fab 4' consisting of Kane Williamson and Joe Root. However, he feels Kohli and Smith have the hunger which makes them dangerous against any bowling lineup.
"I think they (Kohli and Smith) will have slipped down the ranks on current form because you know you've got the likes of Root taking off, there's Williamson doing well, Harry Brook has come onto the scene, you know there are a lot of other young players pushing but these are class players. In a situation like this, you know they'll be dangerous because they'll be hungry," Shastri said on ICC review.
Shastri paised Smith for struggling in the middle before scoring a century in the Gabba Test. He feels that Kohli should follow Smith and survive for the first 30-40 minutes.
"What’s needed you saw from Smith. It might have been a struggle early on but he was prepared to play the waiting game and be disciplined,” Shastri noted.
"I think the same with Virat,” Shastri added. “If Virat gets over that first 30, 40 minutes, with serious application and discipline, I don’t think he's (out of form), none of these guys are out of form," Shastri concluded.
Kohli prepares to leave deliveries outside off
After the century at Perth Stadium, Kohli has registered single-digit scores. He has been troubled by Australian pacers as they have honed in on lines outside off stump against Kohli inviting him to drive or poke at it away from his body. In the practice session on December 24, Kohli asked pacers Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna to bowl similar line and lengths so that he can practice leaving those deliveries alone.
Kohli, Smith's record at MCG
Kohli has a good record at the MCG. in 2014, he scored a century and helped India draw the Test. In 2018, he scored a half-century in the first innings. Smith has a good record at the MCG with 1,093 runs from 11 Tests at an average of 78.07 including 4 centuries and 5 fifties.
