Chetan Sharma Supports Virat Kohli Amidst Australia Series Challenges

In Noida, Uttar Pradesh, former Indian cricketer and ex-chief selector Chetan Sharma has expressed his support for Virat Kohli, despite the star batter's recent struggles. Sharma believes Kohli will end the series against Australia with three centuries. The fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set for December 26 in Melbourne. Kohli, who scored a century in the first Test at Perth, has only managed 26 runs in his other four innings, reflecting a challenging year across all formats.

Chetan Sharma described Kohli's current form as a temporary phase, emphasizing his past achievements and expressing confidence in his future performance. Sharma stated, "He is a player who has achieved so much for us, which raises our expectations. I am confident he will perform well. Let's hope he scores two more centuries in the next two matches. I had predicted before the series that he would score three centuries in Australia."

In 2023, Kohli has scored 614 runs across formats with an average of 21.92, including one century and two fifties. In nine Tests, he has accumulated 376 runs at an average of 25.06. The 2020s have been tough for Kohli in Test cricket, with 1,964 runs in 37 matches at an average of 31.67. In the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, he has scored 687 runs in 12 matches, averaging 36.15.

Australia and India Squads

The Australian squad includes Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, and others. The Indian squad features Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and more, with reserves like Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini.