Virat, who has always been a crowd favorite in Australia, is once again generating a lot of hype. His presence in Australia is connected with great ratings and widespread media coverage.
Ahead of the inaugural Border-Gavaskar Trophy, there were relatively few highlights from the practice session, including Virat Kohli’s presence in the nets and Sarfaraz Khan’s elbow injury. The video on X from Fox Cricket claims that supporters avidly observed Kohli’s training session and went to considerable lengths to see their hero, some of them scaling the trees.A post from Fox News Cricket said, “First look at Virat Kohli at the Perth nets ahead of the Test series opener.” “Some fans went the extra mile to catch a glimpse of the King,” it said.
In Australia, Virat, a player who has always drawn large crowds, is creating a lot of hype once more. High viewership and widespread media attention are consistent with his presence in Australia.
But for Kohli, the forthcoming series is extremely important. It is seen to be a pivotal moment in his remarkable career. With younger players vying for a spot in the starting eleven during a possible transition phase, the former Indian captain is under pressure to get back to his best and guarantee his place in the Test squad.The way that Kohli is playing right now is concerning. With a maximum score of 76 and only two half-centuries in 25 innings, the 80-time centurion has only amassed 488 runs at an average of 20.33 in 19 international matches this year. He used to dominate Test cricket, so his recent problems have been especially concerning.Kohli was at the pinnacle of his career between 2016 and 2019, scoring 4,208 runs at an amazing average of 66.79, including 16 hundreds and ten fifties. He also set a record for the most double centuries by a captain in Test cricket. However, since 2020, his career has deteriorated considerably, amassing 1,838 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 31.68, with only two centuries and nine fifties.His troubles were underlined during the recent home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Kohli scored 192 runs in 10 innings, an average of 21.33, and only one half-century. Because of his dip in performance, he fell out of the Top 20 in the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings for the first time in a decade.
Kohli is facing criticism and uncertainties about his place in the team, and the series in Australia provides an opportunity for atonement. Kohli has previously performed spectacularly on the Australian stage, and fans hope he can replicate that triumph.Virat has scored 1,352 runs in 13 Tests in Australia, averaging 54.08, with six hundreds and four fifties. His highest score is 169. Virat has amassed 3,426 runs in Australia across all formats at an average of 56.16, including 11 hundreds and 19 fifties in 70 innings. His highest score is 169.
Sarfaraz, on the other hand, was seen exiting the training session early after being smacked in the elbow.
In a Fox Cricket training video, Sarfaraz was shown walking away after being whacked on his right elbow while batting. Team India is preparing for the series at Perth’s Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) facility after arriving in Australia in two batches a few days ago.According to Wisden, Sarfaraz had “no issues” with his elbow following the hit.
The 27-year-old is in contention for the Perth Test at Optus Stadium, with skipper Rohit Sharma expected to miss out due to personal reasons. Other contenders for Sarfaraz’s berth in the middle order include seasoned KL Rahul and youthful wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel.
Jurel shined in the recently concluded Australia-India A series, scoring brave knocks of 80 and 68 in the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) under pressure.Following his first-class achievements, Sarfaraz made his international debut against England in a five-match home series, beginning with back-to-back half-centuries. However, he has been inconsistent since then, scoring 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru and just 50 in his other seven innings.
Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs in six Tests at an average of 37.10, including a century, three fifties, and a top score of 150.
The young batsman has yet to play a Test outside of India and will be tested on fast, bouncy surfaces in Australia.The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia begins on November 22 with the first Test in Perth. The second Test, in the day-night format, will be held under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will next shift their focus to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which runs from December 14 to 18.
The traditional Boxing Day Test, held from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s renowned Melbourne Cricket Ground, will be the series’ concluding match.
The fifth and final Test will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, delivering an entertaining conclusion to a highly anticipated series.
