After a poor home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand and disappointing performances in Test matches over the last few years, Virat will be making his fifth Test series tour of Australia in the toughest of conditions, with his longer format legacy and place at stake as India The ICC World Test Championship is awaiting changes after the 2023-25 cycle.
His battle with Lyon will be worth watching as the star batsman has long struggled against spin bowling, especially in spin-friendly conditions at home. Virat has an incredible record against Lyon, he has scored 529 runs against them in 32 innings, with an average of 75.6 and a strike rate of around 51. He has been dismissed seven times by Lyon.
Talking about their battle on cricket.com.au, Nathan recalled how during his special event in Adelaide, Virat clashed with Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer with his “beautiful forehand” to trouble the Australian players. Used to talk about.
“I remember the 2014 Test at the Adelaide Oval, where he scored 100 in both innings. I was bowling to him and he was batting with ease. He would come to non-striker and just say Federer,” Nathan said. Said.
“And I was thinking, OK, what is this and he kept doing it, kept doing it. Every time. Every time he would come down and say, Federer, Federer,” he added. “And I said, dude, I don't know if I'm wrong or not, but we're playing the wrong game if you think you're Federer. And he says 'No, no, I played a beautiful forehand'. I was just thinking, OK, you're a good player, if you can just sit there and do that in the middle of the innings,” he concluded. The 2014 tour of Australia after a disastrous tour of England was a turning point in Virat's career, as he scored 692 runs at an average of 86.50, which included four centuries and one half-century. His best score in the series was 169. MS Dhoni's retirement in the middle of the series also led to him becoming a captain, who changed the direction of Indian cricket in the years to come.
During Virat's tenure, India won 40 Tests and improved a lot in overseas conditions. From 2016-2019, Virat has had the best form in the longest format, scoring 4,208 runs at an average of 66.79 in 43 Tests and 69 innings, including 16 centuries and 10 fifties. During this period he scored seven double centuries, the most by a captain in Tests, which still stands. But a decade later, things have changed. In 19 matches in international formats this year, Virat has scored 488 runs at a very low average of 20.33, which includes just two half-centuries and a best score of 76 in 25 innings. Since 2020, Virat has endured a prolonged period of poor white-ball form, scoring 1838 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 31.68, including just two centuries and nine fifties. Virat had a very poor home Test season this year against Bangladesh and New Zealand, in which he scored 192 runs in 10 innings at an average of 21.33 with just one half-century. In the ICC men's Test batting rankings, Kohli dropped out of the top-20 list for the first time in 10 years.
The tour of Australia could light another fire in Virat's mind as he has historically performed well against them. In 13 Tests in Australia, Virat has scored 1,352 runs at an average of 54.08, which includes six centuries and four fifties. His best score is 169. In Australia across all formats, Virat has scored 3,426 runs in 70 innings at an average of 56.16 with 11 centuries and 19 fifties. The second Test, which will be played in day-night format, will be played under floodlights at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10. Fans will then turn their attention to Brisbane's Gabba for the third Test to be held from 14 to 18 December. The traditional Boxing Day Test, to be held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne from December 26 to 30, will be the final leg of the series. The fifth and final Test will be played from January 3 to 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, promising an exciting finale to the highly anticipated series. (ANI)
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