Virat Kohli, the star Indian batsman, has arrived in Perth, Australia, more than 10 days ahead of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Kohli is the first player from the visiting team to land Down Under, with some of his teammates still in transit and others departing with coach Gautam Gambhir on Monday.
India and Australia will face off in a five-Test series, with India being the current title-holders of the prestigious BGT. The Aussies, on the other hand, are eager to reclaim the trophy they haven’t won since 2014.
According to a report in ‘The West Australian,’ Kohli reached Perth on Sunday evening. The Indian squad is expected to begin training at the WACA Ground from Tuesday in preparation for the first Test. However, the venue is under lockdown to keep the Indian camp strictly behind closed doors.
Kohli, 36, has been facing criticism for his prolonged poor form. He has had a forgettable 2024 so far, with only two international fifties to his name and a disappointing home Test season leading up to the Australia tour.
His struggles against spinners have been evident in the 10 Test innings he played against Bangladesh and New Zealand. While India swept Bangladesh 2-0 in the Test series, Kohli could only manage 99 runs at an average of 33.00, with a highest score of 47.
The New Zealand series was a disaster for India, as they suffered a 0-3 whitewash at home for the first time in a three-Test series. In his six innings against the Kiwis, Kohli’s bat failed to make an impression, except for one innings where he scored 70. He could only accumulate 23 runs in the other five knocks, aggregating a mere 93 runs at an average of 15.50.
While some have speculated that the Australia tour could be Kohli’s last appearance in Tests, the batting icon will be determined to rediscover his form in red-ball cricket during the BGT, which begins on November 22 in Perth.
