IND VS AUS: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli should take a break from the third ODI match against New Zealand to prepare for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 against Australia.
Team India has recently swept Sri Lanka 3-0 at home and is currently hosting a white-ball series against New Zealand that includes three ODIs and three T20s.
The four-match Test series against Australia will take place in February and March. Australia, who dominated the 2023 World Test Championship and currently leads the points table, will look to repeat their feat from 2004 when they won the series 2-1 on Indian soil. This will be the final Test series for both teams and will decide their fate for the World Test Championship final.
IND VS AUS: Ravi Shastri Statement
Former Indian cricket coach and player Ravi Shastri believe that Virat Kohli should skip the final ODI match against New Zealand in Hyderabad and instead return to first-class cricket to prepare for the crucial Test series against Australia.
He cited the example of Sachin Tendulkar, who did the same thing 25 years ago. Shastri said, “I’ve always believed you play more first-class cricket, especially when you are going to play a lot in India.”
Just feel top players don’t play enough first-class cricket. There’s a lot of cricket around, you might not want to take the risk. But at times you’ve got to be smart and sacrifice certain games to look at the bigger picture.
And the big picture in Australia. Ravi Shastri said, “25 years ago Sachin Tendulkar went to play in CCI (Cricket Club of India) against an Australian team and got a double century.”
Virat Kohli’s form
IND VS AUS: Two months later, in 1998, he had scored more than 1000 runs against Australia in all formats. He got a terrific double hundred and Australia knew that they didn’t get that man early the writing was on the wall.”
He believes that Virat Kohli should follow in Tendulkar’s footsteps by playing first-class cricket to prepare for the Test series against Australia. Ravi Shastri emphasized the importance of being smart and sacrificing certain games in order to look at the bigger picture.
He believes that playing a first-class match will not only help Virat Kohli get back into the groove of playing longer format cricket, but will also give the team management a chance to assess the form of the players and make any necessary changes before the Test series begins.
Indian cricket team will have to be at their best if they want to beat Australia in our own backyard. The Australians are known for their fierce competitiveness and the team will have to be prepared for the conditions that they will face.
