Only a collective effort can stop Virat Kohli says Michael Hussey

What’s the story?

Former Australia batsman Michael Hussey believes it will take a "collective bowling effort" from Australia to get rid of Indian captain Virat Kohli in their upcoming four-Test series against India.

"I think Starc is a brilliant bowler for the sub-continental conditions. He bowls at a genuine pace, can swing the new ball and is an excellent exponent of reverse swing. I am sure he will challenge Kohli throughout the series. It will, however, take a collective effort to stop Kohli, who has been phenomenal of late," Hussey was quoted by PTI.

In case you did not know

Hussey himself was a brilliant Test player. He scored 6235 runs from 79 Test matches and was quite devastating against the Indians. He now does commentary for a living and works as an expert in channels too.

In 2012 when India toured Australia, Hussey scored a brilliant 150 not out. Prior to that he had also got a dazzling 89 in Melbourne. He retired from cricket in 2013 but has time and again played the role of an advisor to the national team cricketers.

The heart of the matter

Now, the Indian skipper has been in cracking form off late and blasted his way to yet another double hundred against Bangladesh in the last Test match. He has now become the first batsman in history to post double centuries in four consecutive Test series.

Before the Bangladesh Test, Kohli had a great One-Day and Test series against England where he got to scores like 167 and 235. Such has been his consistency that he last got out on zero in 2014 in that disastrous tour in England.

Thus, Michael Hussey knows they would require a collective effort to dismiss the champion batsman.

What’s next?

The India-Australia series begins from 23^rd of February. What will be interesting to see is to what tactics the Aussies employ against the Indian talisman. Now, Mitchell Starc is always a threat against right-hand batsman as he has the ability to swing it back in.

Kohli is known for his weakness in and around the off stump and that is precisely what the likes of Starc and Josh Hazlewood would try and exploit. But then again it is Kohli who is perhaps in the form of his life.

Sportskeeda’s take

Though Kohli is in prime form, no batsman is invincible. If the Australians can devise a plan for him and stick to it they might be able to counter the Kohli phenomenon.