Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has recommended that Virat Kohli draw inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar's remarkable innings in Sydney during the 2003/04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Gavaskar's advice followed his observation of a concerning pattern in Kohli's dismissals during the second Test match in Adelaide against Australia.

Kohli had previously silenced his critics by achieving a match-winning century in the series opener in Perth, marking his first in the format in 16 months. However, he faced a disappointing performance in Adelaide, scoring only 7 and 11, contributing to India's 10-wicket defeat and allowing Australia to level the series.

Gavaskar expressed particular concern not just about the low scores, but about the manner of Kohli's dismissals in both innings. In an interview with Star Sports, he pointed out that Kohli has once again become susceptible to deliveries outside the off stump, reminiscent of the early stages of his career, which brought to mind Tendulkar's unbeaten 241 in the Sydney Test.

Sachin Tendulkar's performance in Sydney was noteworthy. In his previous three Test matches, he had been getting dismissed while playing outside the off-stump, often falling to catches in the covers and slips. Notably, he refrained from executing a single cover drive during that period, instead focusing his shots towards mid-off and mid-on, ultimately achieving a score of 241. The batting legend emphasized the importance of self-control, stating, "One must resolve not to play to the off-stump line. Just as Sachin scored his double century, Kohli has the potential to do the same."

Gavaskar cautioned Kohli that Pat Cummins had already identified his vulnerabilities and might employ a similar tactic in the upcoming third Test at the Gabba. 

He advised, "The strategy should be that if you are not settled at the beginning, avoid unnecessary risks. In Adelaide, Kohli attempted a risky shot right after lunch, which the Australian fielders likely noted. Consequently, they positioned a fielder in that area for his second innings. Kohli must exercise better control. If he focuses on playing with a strong bottom hand, he can effectively target mid-wicket, mid-on, and straight."

When Sachin had helped Kohli with the same issue

Kohli has been dismissed and caught behind on three occasions in the current series against Australia. Throughout his career, this mode of dismissal has occurred 42 times, representing 21.9 per cent of his total dismissals. This trend notably began during the 2014 tour of England, where James Anderson capitalized on this weakness.

Kohli described that tour as the "lowest point" of his career, recalling how Sachin Tendulkar assisted him in making a significant improvement.

"My hip position was problematic during that England tour," Kohli shared with Mayank Agarwal on bcci.tv in 2020. "If the right hip opens or closes excessively, it can lead to difficulties. Maintaining a proper hip position that is side-on and balanced is crucial, allowing for equal control when playing shots on both the off-side and leg side."

"Upon returning from England, I consulted with Sachin paaji and conducted several training sessions with him in Mumbai. I informed him that I was focusing on my hip position. He emphasized the significance of taking a big stride and executing a forward press against fast bowlers. Once I aligned my hip correctly, everything started to come together, and then the tour of Australia followed."

Kohli made a remarkable recovery from the challenges faced during the Australian tour later that year, amassing 692 runs at an impressive average of 86.50, including four centuries across as many Tests, marking his finest performance in an overseas series.

Notably, Sachin Tendulkar experienced a similar challenge in his career, which bowlers capitalized on. However, during his legendary innings in Sydney, he refrained from playing any shots on the offside, ultimately scoring a double-century.

“We did consider for a time that he had a vulnerability against deliveries coming back in while driving on the up. We managed to dismiss him a couple of times, leading us to believe we could get him out with the cover drive,” remarked Steve Waugh, the Australian captain during that series, in a subsequent interview.

“That was our strategy in Sydney, but he chose not to play a cover drive and ended up scoring 241 not out. This illustrates his ability to adapt his game and counter the opposition's tactics,” he further noted.

Read Also: Shastri tells Rohit Sharma that winning Brisbane is key to clinching the series, urging him to make the first move.

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