Former Australia fast-bowler Mitchell Johnson said he wonders if the current situation would give Virat Kohli all the determination he needs to make big runs for India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting in Perth on November 22.

The talismanic Kohli averages just 22.72 in his six Test matches this year, way short than his average of 54.08 in Tests in Australia and his overall Test career average of 47.83. Kohli comes into his fifth Australia tour after making just 91 runs in India’s surprising 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand at home earlier this month.

Advertisement

“His form hasn’t been at its best recently and he will be under pressure to perform again here in front of the many Indian fans who will turn out. I wonder if the situation will give him all the determination he needs or if it will all be too much for him. As a fan now watching on, maybe I’d like to see him make one more Test ton in Australia.

“As his adversary from a decade ago, maybe not. Ultimately, I want to see the best against the best and a series played with all the fire and urgency that has come to mark this great rivalry. And I know that’s where Virat will feel right at home,” wrote Johnson in his column for The West Australian on Sunday.

Similar thoughts were echoed by former Australia Test opener David Warner, who wrote in his Herald Sun column on Sunday that the pressure to step up in the marquee series for India could propel Kohli to touch greater heights. “People want to write Virat off after India’s disastrous 3-0 Test series loss to New Zealand this month, but I’m actually worried for Australia.

“This is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and we know Virat always steps up in Australia and completely embraces that challenge like almost no one else who has ever visited our shores. There is no better way for him to come out and shut the critics up. I’m genuinely worried for the Australian cricket team that he’s going to come out and pile on some runs,” he said.

Johnson also recalled of the time he first went face to face with Kohli, saying one of his attributes which stood out early for him was the right-handed batter being up for the fight in Tests.

“That kind of aggressive attitude was something we had rarely seen from an Indian player at that point. We were used to giving it but didn’t always get it back in return. While the occasional player from India may have been combative in moments, Kohli really made it a part of his game.

“He took his team with him as well so it’s not an understatement to say that Kohli changed the face of Indian cricket, taking a new generation of players and showing them how to play tough cricket. When bowling to him, I can remember thinking we had to get him early or else we could be in trouble.

“If you didn’t get Kohli in the first 10 or so balls, he would often make you pay. I also remember the cover drives, the pull shots and the urgency of his running between wickets. One of the best players in the world playing me with so much time, I think I even said ‘good shot’ in my head a few times after being driven down the ground,” he concluded.