AUS vs IND: Sunil Gavaskar suggests Sachin Tendulkar lesson to struggling Virat Kohli-OxBig News Network

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar advised Virat Kohli to revisit Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic knock in Sydney in 2004 to overcome his issues with the line outside the off-stump in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gavaskar suggested that Kohli should resist the urge to drive at deliveries outside the off-stump to break the pattern of dismissals that have plagued his form and reputation in the five-Test series in Australia.

On Monday, 16 December, Kohli was dismissed for just 3 runs in the first innings of the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Kohli appeared intent on being disciplined at the start of his innings on an overcast morning. However, he was lured into playing at a wide delivery from Josh Hazlewood, resulting in a thick edge safely pouched by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

AUS vs IND, 3rd Test Day 3 Highlights

Australia have consistently trapped Kohli with the line outside the off-stump during the series, exploiting his tendency to push and poke at deliveries away from the body.

Speaking to the broadcasters, Gavaskar recommended that Kohli study how Tendulkar decided to eliminate the cover drive from his game during the Sydney Test in 2004, which helped him tackle a similar problem.

“Yes, I think practice is different, but what happens in the middle is different. The mindset is completely different. What happens in practice is, you know, if you play a bad shot, you can get away with it. But in the match, if you are out, you are out,” Gavaskar said.

“What I think Kohli can do is maybe have a look at what Sachin Tendulkar did way back in 2004. In the first three Test matches, he got out playing for the line outside the off-stump. He got caught at slips, short gully. When he came to Sydney, he decided he was not going to play anything in the cover region. He played only between the bowler’s follow-through and to the right of the mid-off fielder, and everything else on the other side. That’s the resolve. He hardly played a cover drive; I think only after getting to 200-220 did he play one. That is the kind of mind control you should be having,” Gavaskar added.

HOW TENDULKAR DELETED THE COVER DRIVE

In the Sydney Test of the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Tendulkar displayed exceptional adaptability and mental discipline. Under pressure from a rare slump in form, Tendulkar had been repeatedly dismissed while attempting the cover drive, one of his most elegant strokes but, in this instance, a liability. Australian bowlers, particularly Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, and Jason Gillespie, devised a plan to exploit his off-side game, luring him into errors.

Recognising this, Tendulkar made the unconventional decision to avoid playing the cover drive entirely throughout his innings. This required extraordinary mental strength, as it meant sidelining one of his signature shots. Tendulkar adjusted his technique and mindset, focusing on playing straight down the ground, working the ball off his pads, and prioritising leg-side scoring. By consciously eschewing the risky drive, he nullified Australia’s primary tactic to dismiss him.

The results were spectacular. Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 241, one of the finest innings of his illustrious career. His knock was a testament to patience, technical precision, and determination, showcasing another dimension of his batting genius. Over the course of 436 deliveries, Tendulkar did not offer a single chance, systematically dismantling the Australian attack and anchoring India’s mammoth first-innings total of 705/7 declared.

GAVASKAR BACKS KOHLI TO BOUNCE BACK

Virat Kohli began the current series in Australia with a century in Perth, ending a year-long drought without a three-figure score in Test cricket. However, he has failed to pass 15 in any of his other four innings so far.

Gavaskar expressed confidence that Kohli still has time in the series to bounce back and prove his mental strength.

“Kohli has also shown it. You can’t score 9000 runs in Test cricket and hit 32 hundreds without having mind control. Over here, there is a second innings, and there are two more Tests to go. So there’s plenty of opportunity to show your resolve.

“They are plotting my dismissals; they’ve got two slips and two gullies. Apart from the resolve that Tendulkar showed, Kohli should watch videos of himself scoring big runs,” he added.

India were reduced to 48 for 4 at the tea break on Day 3 of the third Test in Brisbane after Australia amassed 445 runs, led by centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith.