Virat Kohli added another sparkling chapter to his legendary career by scoring a dominant century against Australia at Perth’s Optus Stadium. Getting over recent form worries, the Indian maestro came good in the second innings and won all the praises from cricket’s greatest tactician Ricky Ponting.
Ponting on Kohli: “Trusting His Game Made All the Difference”
During the latest episode of ICC Review, the former Australian skipper dissected Kohli’s match-winning knock. Ponting highlighted a crucial shift in the batter’s approach that transformed his performance. “Virat went back to trusting his game, and he looked like a different player in the second innings than he did in the first,” Ponting said, adding that this mindset was pivotal to Kohli’s success.
This was Virat Kohli’s 81st International Hundred. It was also his 30th Test hundred and his seventh on Australian soil. During this inning, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of six Test tons in the country. Kohli is now only behind England’s Jack Hobbs, who holds the record for the most centuries by a visiting batter in Australia. He scored nine hundreds in Australia.
Virat Kohli’s Australian Legacy: Numbers That Speak Volumes
Australia has long been a favourite hunting ground for Kohli. In 43 matches across formats, he has amassed 3,531 runs at an impressive average of 56.95, including 12 centuries—the most by any visiting batter in the country.
Kohli has scored 1,457 runs in Tests alone in Australia. He averages 56.03 with seven centuries in the country. Virat Kohli now has 100 centuries in professional cricket. He is inching closer to the iconic record of 100 international centuries of Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar had taken 24 years to achieve the milestone. However, the pace at which Kohli is going suggests that the crown may change hands sooner than expected.
Ponting’s Advice for Struggling Aussies: “Intent is the Key”
Beau Webster: Australia’s New Player for Day-Night Test Against India
On the other hand, the Australian camp finds itself in a contrasting state. Senior batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have struggled to perform, with their performances coming under sharp scrutiny.
Ponting believes the solution lies in shifting their focus. “Think about scoring runs first and not about getting out,” he advised. “That is always the challenge when you’re not in great form. Being positive and showing intent is the only way to break the cycle.”
Labuschagne’s recent form has been particularly alarming. He managed just five runs across two innings in Perth, extending a lean patch that dates back to July last year.In 13 matches of the current World Test Championship cycle, he averages a modest 27.41 with a solitary century.
Smith, once Australia’s batting mainstay, has also suffered a big drop in form. He averages just 32.82 in 13 WTC matches, with just one century to his credit.
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