BGT 2024-25: Kohli will be under less pressure being in Australia than India, says Mark Waugh

New Delhi: Former Australia batter Mark Waugh opined that Virat Kohli will feel less pressure while playing in Australia than in India as the right hander loves the Australian conditions and have great records against the nation.

Kohli touched down in Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy amidst a form slump as he averaged 20.62 across his ten most recent Test innings, way below than his average of 54.08 in Tests in Australia and his overall career average of 47.83.

But having scored some of his landmark centuries in Australia and leading India here to a 2-1 series win in 2018/19 is expected to bring the best out of him in the upcoming five-match series, starting on November 22 at Perth Stadium.

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“He’s got a great record in Australia, he loves the conditions. I think he’s a better player of pace than spin. He’s had a lean trot though, by his standards, and his average has dropped a lot,’ Waugh told Fox Cricket.

“Maybe Perth’s a good starting place for him, because he made that brilliant hundred on a very, very tricky pitch (in 2018). It’s always good when you’ve got good memories at certain grounds.

“He’ll be under less pressure being in Australia than India. It’s so encompassing, playing in India on your home soil. It’ll be a fresh start for him, this series,” he said.

For the first time since December 2014, Kohli has fallen out of the ICC Test batting rankings’ top 20, but the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy offers him a chance to revive his struggling Test career.

“The Australians would still see him as a big wicket,” Waugh continued. They know what he’s capable of, and his record in Australia is so good, and he loves the big stage.

“India have beaten us the last four series, so I think it’ll bring the best out of Kohli. Whether he’s good enough and technically good enough to make runs is a different story,” Waugh added.

Formal bowler Brett Lee is also confident that Kohli will produce his best again in Australia this summer and can cause trouble for the hosts.

“He’s got an Australian mentality, a never-say-die attitude. He doesn’t mind getting into a scrap. He doesn’t mind having a crack. There has been a lot of conjecture around his form recently, but I’m not worried about that. I know with Kohli, he’s got the experience underneath his belt,” Lee told Fox Cricket.

“He may have only got 90 runs in the three-Test series against the Kiwis, but who cares? When he comes out here, he has a great record in Australia,” said Lee.