Virat Kohli is leaving no stone unturned in the preparation for his batting in the ongoing 4th Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, in Ahmedabad. The 34-year-old star India batter came out for a batting practice session in the evening after the end of play of Day 2 at the Narendra Modi stadium.
The fans and journalists who were still at the ground after the play on Friday was concluded captured Virat Kohli batting with a staff member giving him throwdowns.
Virat Kohli hasn’t had an ideal series so far: in 5 innings in 3 Tests, he’s scored 111 runs at an average of 22 with a best of 44. That 44 in the first innings of the Delhi Test was a high-quality and astutely measured innings, but Kohli couldn’t make his start count.
Now, on the good batting pitch in Ahmedabad, where Australia have amassed 490 runs, Virat Kohli will want to make a big score to help India, who are desperate to win this Test to reach the WTC final.
Virat Kohli knew he might be summoned early in the morning of Day 3 to bat as Indian openers survived the last 10 overs of Day 2.
To get a feel of the environment and conditions around, Virat Kohli came out to do some batting practice after Day 2 ended at the Narendra Modi stadium. Fans were happy to see their stalwart batter and cheered for him.
Watch: Virat Kohli does batting practice after Day 2 ended, fans cheer him
King at work 🥳 pic.twitter.com/yCSSlz9YhB
— Sunil (@Hitting_Middle) March 10, 2023
Meanwhile, at lunch on Day 3, India are 129/1 with Gill at 65* and Pujara at 22*. Rohit Sharma scored 35 runs in 58 balls, cracking 3 fours and a pull shot sixer to Mitchell Starc, but got out to a loose shot off Matthew Kuhnemann, chipping a catch to short cover, where Marnus Labuschagne took the easiest catch of his life.
Before Virat Kohli comes in to bat, Pujara and Gill have the onus to convert their starts into something significant.
By late on Day 2, Australia were bowled out for 490 in their first innings. Usman Khawaja scored 180 while Cameron Green scored 114. Senior off-spinner R Ashwin returned with another five-wicket haul in his bag and created quite a few records today. Ashwin’s figures of 6/91 in 47.2 overs, which is an economy rate of 1.9, stood miles ahead of the other four Indian bowlers on show in Ahmedabad.
