"Can he bring the square cut out?" - Irfan Pathan on expectations from Virat Kohli in India's 1st innings of BGT 2024-25 4th Test

Irfan Pathan has questioned whether Virat Kohli can employ the square cut, a shot he rarely plays, in India's first innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 fourth Test. He pointed out that the modern batting great needs to play that stroke to counter the outside off-stump line he is likely to be targeted with.

Australia ended Day 1 of the fourth Test against India in Melbourne on Thursday, December 26, at 311/6. The visitors will hope to pick up the remaining four wickets quickly on the second morning and then post a big first-innings total.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked about Kohli needing to step up in India's first innings, showing the discipline he spoke about in a pre-game interview with Ravi Shastri.

"Absolutely, there won't be a bigger opportunity than this because the series is at stake. It's embedded in his mind that he needs to leave balls outside the off-stump. When the match was ongoing on the first day, he was shadow-practicing that he needs to leave the ball. The discipline he was talking about, he needs to translate that into execution," he replied.

"We expect him to bat with full passion and bring that discipline. I would also say that can he bring the square cut out. He doesn't play the sweep shot, but still plays them in between. So can he bring the square cut out because he will be trapped by bowling outside off-stump?" Pathan added.

Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 in India's second innings of the first Test in Perth. However, he has aggregated only 26 runs in his other four innings and has been caught either by the wicketkeeper or in the slip cordon every time.

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"Sachin paaji's range was incredible" - Irfan Pathan on Virat Kohli being urged to follow Sachin Tendulkar's template

The cover drive is one of Virat Kohli's favorite shots. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Irfan Pathan noted that it might be difficult for Virat Kohli to follow Sachin Tendulkar's template of not playing the cover drive during his double century in the 2004 Sydney Test.

"If he doesn't get runs there, it will be a test of his patience. We talk about Sachin paaji (Tendulkar), that he had scored a double hundred, but Sachin paaji's range was incredible. He could play behind square on the off-side and front of square on the off-side off the back foot," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Kohli needs to showcase an enhanced range of shots if he has to keep the cover drive on the back burner.

"He (Tendulkar) didn't play the cover drive only but apart from that, he has an amazing range. Can Virat Kohli come out with a different range along with patience - that will be a massive challenge," Pathan observed.

Kohli has amassed 316 runs at an average of 52.67 in six innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). His 169-run knock in India's first innings of the 2014 Boxing Day Test is his highest score in Australia.