Australian all-stars anticipate 'transformed' Virat Kohli during BGT: 'We want to see him step out of his comfort zone…'

Virat Kohli's fierce rivalries with Australian players, both on the field with his bat and off the field with his words, have been a defining feature of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since he made his Test debut against them in 2011/12. As Kohli approaches the age of 36 and faces challenges in maintaining his form in Test cricket, the upcoming tour of Australia may mark his final appearance in whites in the country. Opposing players have observed how the Indian cricket icon has tempered his aggression in recent years, signaling a potential shift in his approach to the game.

Batter Marnus Labuschagne has said that the Australians would still be wary of letting Kohli get too comfortable in the middle. “You want him to come out of his comfort zone and try to force the game. When he lets the game come to him, he is a very dangerous player,” Labuschagne is quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey recalled that there were no jibes coming from Kohli throughout Australia's 2023 tour of India for the BGT. "Playing them in India ... there was nothing," Carey said. "(We didn't) get under his skin, and he didn't try to get under ours. He just performed well with the bat." Veteran opener Usman Khawaja also noted that Kohli's aggression on the field has gone down in recent years. "It's a very different Virat now, so you can go and have a joke with him … (but) he still scores runs against you," Khawaja told cricket.com.au.

Kohli was consistently averaging above 55 ever year in Tests between 2016 and 2019. In fact, he averaged more than 75 in 2016 and 2017 and 68.00 in 2019. However, his annual Test average has crossed 50 just once in the years since. Kohli averaged 19.33 in 2020, 28.21 in 2021, 26.50 in 2022, 55.91 last year and 22.72 thus far this year. He has scored just two centuries in the last five years, both of which came in 2023.

Kohli's lack of form and manner of dismissals have been among the central talking points during and since India's historic whitewash at the hands of New Zealand at home earlier this month. However, he would be hoping to return to form in Australia where he has an incredible record. He has scored 1,352 runs in 13 matches at an average of 54.08, including six centuries and another four fifties in his 25 innings.