Leeds: India skipper Virat Kohli should seek guidance from Sachin Tendulkar and draw inspiration from the maestro’s performance against Australia in the Sydney Test in 2004 to return to form, said former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.
“He should give a quick call to SRT (Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar) and ask what should I do?,” said Gavaskar on air Wednesday.
“[He should] Do what Sachin Tendulkar did at Sydney. Say to himself that I am not going to play the cover drive,” added Gavaskar.
Kohli fell to his nemesis James Anderson for just seven on the first day of the third Test here at Headingley on Wednesday, edging a delivery well outside the off-stump to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler as he attempted a drive.
This is the seventh time in 23 Tests Anderson has scalped Kohli in Test match cricket. The England pacer has joined Australia spinner Nathan Lyon as the bowler to dismiss Kohli the most number of times in the longest format.
The India skipper has aggregated only 69 in four innings of three Tests, failing to get even a half-century.
The former India opener and captain, who was the first reach 10,000-run mark in Test cricket, said that Kohli chasing deliveries outside the off-stump is worrying.
“That is a bit of a worry for me, because he is getting dismissed at the fifth, sixth and even seventh stump. In 2014, he was getting out more around the off-stump,” added Gavaskar while pointing to the fact that he is being drawn into playing outside the off-stump.
Tendulkar had famously played a very patient knock during the fourth Test of the 2003-04 series against Australia in Sydney. He curbed his instincts and did not play cover drive during his 613-minute and 436-ball stay and went on to score unbeaten 241. India amassed 705/7 declared and had Australia under the cosh before the home team managed to survive and enforce a draw.
IANS
