What do you expect from a 36-year-old batter who has retired from two formats? If it’s Virat Kohli, then greatness. The former India captain hasn’t played an international or ODI match since March 9. His last competitive game came in June.
Since Kohli has shifted his home base to London, there’s no idea regarding his form in the nets. His fitness remains top-notch. Kohli cleared the mandatory pre-season fitness test in September.
But when you are about to play a competitive match after 5 months, there will be some questions. When Kohli played his last ODI, he was an active Test cricketer. That isn’t the case anymore. A lot has changed. For the first time in over a decade, there will be questions over his place in the ODI team, with planning for the 2027 Cricket World Cup already in place.
Harbhajan Singh puts faith in Virat Kohli
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh thinks all of this won’t have any impact on Kohli. He expects the modern great to score two hundreds in the India vs Australia ODI series, which begins on October 19 in Perth.
“Some players thrive when things get difficult; that’s when they bring out their best. And Virat Kohli is one of those players. He shines on big occasions, and that’s what sets him apart from others. He waits for those big opportunities, those high-pressure games, and that’s when he shows why he’s a champion,” Harbhajan said on JioHotstar’s Amul Cricket Live.
Everyone knows that Australia has been a country where Kohli has had some of his best moments, across formats. Harbhajan thinks that’ll continue to be the case in this India vs Australia ODI series.
“When you perform against the best, that’s when you earn respect, and he’s earned that, especially after scoring those hundreds in Australia and taking on the responsibility of leading the team. Those are the challenges he looks forward to. Australia is his favourite hunting ground, and now he’s making his comeback after the IPL. I’m really looking forward to seeing him bat in those three ODIs, and hopefully, out of those three, he gets at least two centuries for India,” Harbhajan added.
Virat Kohli ODI record in Australia
| Span | Mat | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-2020 | 29 | 1327 | 133* | 51.03 | 89.06 | 5 | 6 |
