Sanjay Bangar Prediction: Former India head coach Sanjay Bangar believes that the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will be an opportunity for Virat Kohli to prove himself and reassert himself as the pivot of India’s batting lineup. This is a great opportunity to establish. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tied at 1-1, this match is crucial for India’s hopes of winning the series and strengthening their chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Kohli’s performance in the current series has been mixed. His century in Perth played an important role in India’s victory, but his performance in other matches has been disappointing. Kohli has failed to maintain consistency, scoring only 126 runs at an average of 30 in six innings. Excluding his century in Perth, he has scored only 26 runs in five innings.
Speaking to Star Sports, Bangar highlighted the technical challenges faced by Kohli, especially on balls outside the off-stump. The Australian bowlers have targeted this weakness effectively, forcing Kohli to make mistakes. However, the former Indian cricketer insisted that patience and a calm approach at the crease could be the cure for Kohli’s struggles. Bangar said, “Sometimes you need to control your situation a bit as a batsman. When you surrender a bit to the game, spend a bit of time, take some rest in between, “Waiting for the bowler to come to you, and not moving towards the bowler yourself, is the sign of a great player.”
MCG provides Kohli with a platform that has been good to him in the past. Kohli, who scored 316 runs at an average of 52.66 on this ground, has many memorable moments, which also includes a brilliant inning of 169 runs played in the Boxing Day Test of 2014. The conditions in Melbourne – known for bounce and carry – suit Kohli’s strengths, making this match a golden opportunity for him to regain his form. Bangar said Kohli needs to focus on playing balls closer to his front pad, an approach that can help him achieve rhythm and flow. Play close to the pads and then it is not that he has scored a century three innings ago.
“Virat could be the difference-maker in this high-stakes encounter. He has done it before at the MCG, and there is no reason why he can’t do it again,” Bangar said. The draw in the Gabba Test showed India’s tenacity, but it also exposed the batting weaknesses of experienced players like Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma. In case the series is tied, a strong batting performance is crucial in Melbourne. Kohli, in particular, will need to lead from the front to set the tone for the rest of the lineup in Melbourne.
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