Hussey feels Australia must keep Kohli in check during India visit

Tags: Australia tour of India,2017, India, Australia, Michael Edward Killeen Hussey, Virat Kohli, David Andrew Warner, Steven Peter Devereux Smith, Test Series

Published on: Feb 04, 2017

Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey believes the visitors need to have a clear strategy in place to deal with the threat of in-form Indian skipper Virat Kohli. He also suggested that the Aussies must refrain from getting into verbal confrontations with Kohli during the four-Test series

Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey believes the visitors need to have a clear strategy in place to deal with the threat of in-form Indian skipper Virat Kohli. He also suggested that the Aussies must refrain from getting into verbal confrontations with Kohli during the four-Test series, which begins later this month.

Speaking about Kohli's competitive nature, Hussey told cricket.com.au, "I wouldn’t try and fire him up. I think he thrives on that and he’s a real competitor. He loves being in the fight and loves the contest out in the middle. There’s no need to get involved in that sort of verbal barrage because I think that fires him up even more.”

Hussey instead said that the team must come up with proper cricketing plans to reduce the Kohli effect. “I’d make sure we have some very clear plans and we try and stick to them as best as we possibly can. You don’t want to get carried away with too much talk and lose your concentration of what’s important, which is executing your skills.

“The team that wins will be the one that can execute their skills at the highest quality and for the longest period of time. It’s not going to be the team that’s the most verbal or the most aggressive," the 41-year old explained.

Australia are expected to have a tough time in India during the four Test series, with India on a roll under Kohli. India have been undefeated in their last 18 Tests. During the course of the same, they have registered series wins in Sri Lanka and West Indies apart from getting the better of South Africa, New Zealand and England at home.

Kohli himself has been in prime form. He smashed three double hundreds in Tests last year, averaging over 75.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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