Former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad has predicted that Virat Kohli will deliver in the World Test Championship final against Australia, which will be played at the Oval from June 7. Kohli expressed his excitement about getting back to Test cricket after Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to make it to the playoffs of IPL 2023, with the post on his social media handles, which had the caption “The Whites,”
Kohli scored 639 runs in 14 matches of IPL 2023 at an impressive average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82, including two centuries and he will be looking to carry his T20 form into Test cricket, although the formats are completely different.
Kohli had returned with scores of 44 and 13 in the inaugural World Test Championship final against New Zealand, which India had lost by eight wickets. Ergo, Kohli will be determined to play a big knock against Australia in an all-important game.
Kohli scored 297 runs in six innings of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, which India won by 2-1 earlier in the year. The talisman scored a magnum opus knock of 186 runs in the final Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
“He did not have a very great 2021-22. But that is because we expect a lot from him. He has set a very high standard for himself. He has to score hundreds in every match, otherwise, it is a failure. But he is a human after all,” MSK Prasad told ANI in an interview.
Prasad reckons the burden of captaincy on his shoulders was affecting Kohli’s batting at the top level and thus he could not be at his prime best in the last few seasons.
“The captaincy pressure had him struggling for a while, but once he regained his rhythm and clarity, he did not look back. He has been in amazing form since last year’s Asia Cup, and has made centuries in all formats,” Prasad further added.
Meanwhile, India last won a major ICC trophy back in 2013 when MS Dhoni led the team to glory in the Champions Trophy and since then the team hasn’t been able to cross the last few hurdles of big events. Prasad added it will be on Kohli’s mind and he will want to help his team end the trophy drought.
“He must be having in his mind that India has not won an ICC tournament for years and must be fired up to give his best to help India win. With his form, state of mind in a good place, and his seniority being above 100 Tests, I am sure he will deliver in the WTC final,” Prasad told ANI.
India will take on Australia in the WTC final on June 7 at the Oval.
