Former Team India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes that during the forthcoming five-match Test series in India, which begins in Hyderabad on January 25, Virat Kohli will pose a serious danger to England’s Bazball strategy.
In home Test matches against England, Kohli has a 50+ average, as the former cricket player turned commentator noted. Against the English, he boasts a double hundred as well as two tonnes.
Sunil Gavaskar while previewing the India-England Test series on StarSports said that, “Agar unke bass Bazball hai to hamare pass Viratball hai (if they have Bazball, we have Viratball).”
With five centuries and nine half-centuries, Kohli has accumulated 1991 runs at an average of 42.36 in 28 Test matches against England. A 1-1 draw concluded the two-match Test series in South Africa, with the 35-year-old emerging as India’s top run scorer.
Sunil Gavaskar said, “Bazball can work, it’s because, over the last few years, the boundaries have become shorter. The bats are also well-built that even mishits go for sixes. So, yes, why not, Bazball can work and they will try to do it.They will try to hit over the ground when spinners come out to ball. They might get out but it builds a mentality because the spinners that we have, they also play a lot of T20s.”
“It’ll be a good test for Bazball against our spinners” : Sunil Gavaskar
The cricket expert added that, “In T20s, your mentality is to avoid sixes and fours whether you get the wickets or not. You alter the flight and line. So, if they get hit for two or four sixes then they will change the flight and length and it can be effective.”
The Team India opener concluded by speaking about the importance of the first Test. He said, “The first Test will be very important. We’ve to see to the pitch in Hyderabad, it offers a lot of pace and bounce, which is good for the batters. It’ll be a good test for Bazball against our spinners.”
