India batter Sarfaraz Khan hurt his elbow while batting in the nets during India's practice session at the WACA in Perth on Thursday. Fox Cricket reported that Sarfaraz walked off the nets after the blow. However, it did not give details on the extent of the injury. By the initial look of things, the injury didn't appear to be that serious. Sarfaraz walking off the nets may well have been a precautionary measure.

Sarfaraz has a realistic chance of playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Perth if India captain Rohit Sharma does not play the first Test due to the birth of his second child. Rohit is still in Mumbai and there is no clarity about his departure for Australia. If Rohit is unavailable for the first Test then KL Rahul could be asked to go back to his preferred opening position.

This would open up a pot in the middle order, for which there might be a toss-up between Sarfara and Dhruv Jurel. Sarfaraz did score a sparkling 150 in the second Test against New Zealand, but Jurel's performance against Australia at the MCG has firmly brought him into contention.

Virat Kohli craze

Virat Kohli may not been in the best of forms, and his dearth of runs is the reason behind a war of words between India head coach Gautam Gambhir and legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting, but try explaining all that to his fans. They don't care much about form. All they desire for is a glimpse of Virat Kohli. And for that, they can go at any lengths. The Indian fans in Perth climbed trees and stood on their toes, using every inch of their body to peep over the black fencing. All to just watch Kohli bat in the nets. The last two words should be stressed here. The nets. Imagine what the craze would be for Kohli when the first Test starts on November 22.

"First look at Virat Kohli at the Perth nets ahead of the Test series opener," a Fox News Cricket post stated.

"Some fans went the extra mile to catch a glimpse of the King," it added.

The fans were asked about their feelings about watching Kohli. They said they are sure that Kohli would turn out to be the decisive factor in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by scoring heaps of runs for India

Virat Kohli's presence in Australia is synonymous with high viewership and extensive media coverage.

However, the upcoming series holds immense significance for Kohli. It is viewed as a make-or-break phase in his illustrious career. The former Indian captain is under pressure to regain his form and secure his spot in the Test team amid a potential transition phase, with younger talents waiting for their chance in the playing eleven.

Kohli's recent performance has raised some alarms. In 19 international matches this year, he's accumulated only 488 runs at an average of 20.33, managing just two half-centuries in 25 innings, with a top score of 76. His difficulties in Test cricket are particularly concerning, especially given his previous successes in the format.

From 2016 to 2019, Kohli was in remarkable form, scoring 4,208 runs at an impressive average of 66.79, which included 16 centuries and 10 fifties. He also set a record by achieving seven double centuries, the highest by a captain in Test cricket. However, since 2020, his performance has seen a significant decline, accumulating 1,838 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 31.68, with only two centuries and nine fifties under his belt.

His recent home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand further emphasized his struggles, where he managed just 192 runs in 10 innings, averaging 21.33, and secured only one half-century. This drop in form has resulted in him falling out of the Top 20 in the ICC Men's Test batting rankings for the first time in ten years.

As Kohli faces mounting criticism and speculation about his role in the team, the upcoming series in Australia offers a chance for him to reclaim his form. Traditionally, he has excelled in Australia, and fans are hopeful he can recapture that level of performance.

Read Also: 'India, be careful. It's never worked': Australia great urges Gambhir, Kohli, everyone else to stop hiding and come out

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