Jeff Thomson’s advice for Australian bowlers to tackle Virat Kohli: “Make him take more risks”

Former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson has advised Pat Cummins and Co. to tie down Virat Kohli and force the Indian batter out of his comfort zone during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series.

Kohli has been in stupendous form in white ball cricket in the last few months. However, he has failed to replicate his success in Tests, a format in which he's still awaiting his first three-figure score since November 2019.

The former India captain’s previous Test assignment was during the tour of Bangladesh towards the end of last year. While India clinched the two-match series 2-0, Kohli registered a highest score of 24 in four innings.

Despite his unimpressive returns in Test cricket recently, fans and experts are backing the batting star to lift his game against the Aussies. Sharing his views on how the visitors can keep Kohli quiet during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Thomson said on Backstage with Boria show:

“It is no different to anyone else. If you are bowling to Virat, it’s the same as anybody else. You try to tie him down, and make him uncomfortable. Don’t let him score runs as it is difficult to keep him quiet as he has a such wide range of shots.

Make him take more risks. Get him out of his comfort zone, is easier said than done. Good bowlers will be able to do so more often. That’s how you bowl to great batters like Viv Richards, Greg Chappell and Sunny Gavaskar.”

Although Kohli hasn’t scored a lot of runs in Tests recently, he will take the confidence of his limited-overs success into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He has notched up three one-day hundreds in his last seven innings in the format.

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“You can’t back off” - Jeff Thomson describes Australia’s battle against Kohli a mental one

Elaborating on the Kohli vs Australia bowlers tussle, Thomson described the fight as a mental one. He opined that neither party can take it easy, adding the one who stays strong in the mind will emerge on top. The former player concluded:

“You can’t back off. You got to use your head. It’s your mental battle against him (Virat). The one who breaks first loses out. You got to be stronger mentally than him to get success. Good players - both batters and bowlers work that out.

They got to have a Plan B or C and see what happens. Some days it doesn’t work, but if you know you tried your best and did not bowl too many garbage and make him score easy runs, that’s what you can do.”

The India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick off with the first Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9.