Published 15:10 IST, November 26th 2020
India vs Australia 2020: Hosts pondering these 2 strategies to dismiss Virat Kohli early?
With the India vs Australia 2020 series scheduled to get underway from Friday, here is what the Australian side may have planned to dismiss Virat Kohli early.
The much-awaited India vs Australia 2020 series will get underway on Friday, with the long tour beginning with the ODIs. The India vs Australia 2020 series has already attracted much attention, with the unavailability of Virat Kohli after the first Test being heavily debated. Virat Kohli will head home after the first Test to be with his wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of his first child, with pundits and players talking about how the absence of the star batsman will impact the Indian side.
Australia’s many plans to get the better of Virat Kohli
While the Australian side has claimed that the team has other players who can deputize for the skipper effectively, coach Justin Langer recently admitted that the 32-year-old’s absence will certainly affect the visitors. The batsman has performed admirably against the side in the past, and ahead of the India vs Australia 2020 series, here’s the possible strategies the Aussies may use to dismiss the Indian skipper.
Also Read: India Vs Australia 1st ODI Live Stream, Pitch And Weather Report, Team News And Prediction
Bowlers to attack the stumps to dismiss Virat Kohli?
Multiple players part of the India vs Australia 2020 series have talked about the importance of bowling wicket-to-wicket to the Indian skipper. Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood admitted that if the surface is offering purchase for the bowlers, they can attack the stumps and bowl straight to dismiss Virat Kohli. Expounding further, Hazlewood said that the strategy helps in bringing the LBW and bowled options into play, as the ball can nip around the wicket.
Exploit Virat Kohli’s weakness against leg-spin
If the Australians are looking to dismiss the Indian captain early, particularly in the white ball series, leg-spinner Adam Zampa will have to be in form. The batsman has struggled against leg-spin in recent times and was even troubled by New Zealand leggie Ish Sodhi during the team’s last limited-overs series in New Zealand earlier this year. While not all leg spinners have gotten the better of Kohli, with the batsman boasting of a impressive stats against the slower bowlers, his Bangalore teammate in the IPL 2020, Adam Zampa has troubled the Indian skipper in the past as well.
The leggie had dismissed Virat Kohli five times in ODI cricket while dismissing him an additional two times in the shortest format of the game. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Josh Hazlewood admitted that the Adam Zampa vs Virat Kohli match up will be used by the hosts to get the better of the Indian skipper. The pacer pointed out how the leggie has done well against Virat Kohli in white-ball cricket, conceding that skipper Aaron Finch may give Zampa the first crack most of the times during the game.
India vs Australia live: How to watch India vs Australia 1st ODI
The India vs Australia 1st ODI will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, November 27. The India vs Australia live match will begin at 9:10 AM IST. Fans in India will be able to catch the game live on the Sony Sports Network, with the 1st ODI being broadcasted on the Sony TEN 1, Sony TEN 3 and Sony SIX channels. The live stream of the India vs Australia 1st ODI will also be available on the SonyLIV app and website.
Image Credits: Team India Instagram, AP
Updated 15:10 IST, November 26th 2020