Former India coach Abhishek Nayar has suggested that Virat Kohli could bounce back from two ducks in the ongoing ODI series against Australia with a century in the final game. However, he acknowledged that the former India captain would need to show grit and determination to overcome his disappointing start to the tour.
Kohli was dismissed for a four-ball duck in India’s narrow two-wicket loss in the second ODI in Adelaide on Thursday, October 23. During an interaction on the Star Sports show *Game Plan*, Nayar noted that luck hasn’t favored Kohli so far in the series but emphasized that the modern batting great has the potential to turn things around with a century in the final game in Sydney on Saturday, October 25.
“You always say you need the rub of the green. He has not had it yet. That doesn’t mean he can’t. There are two zeroes, all he has to do is add the one on the side. It will take a lot of grit and determination from him, but those are stories,” Nayar said.
The former India all-rounder also highlighted Kohli’s ability to bounce back from failures in the past. “A Virat Kohli doesn’t become a Virat Kohli without overcoming failures. He has done that in the past. He has struggled in England. He has gone back and conquered it. He has got one more game to conquer his demons, but if there is someone whom I would rely and bet on, that would be Virat,” Nayar added.
### Virat Kohli’s ODI Record at Sydney Cricket Ground
It’s worth noting that Virat Kohli does not have a stellar ODI record at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). He has scored 146 runs across seven ODIs at the venue, averaging just 24.33.
### Analysis of Kohli’s Dismissal in 2nd ODI
In the same interaction, Abhishek Nayar analyzed Kohli’s dismissal in the second ODI, describing it as falling prey to a ‘terrific’ delivery.
“To be honest, regardless of seeing Virat getting out or not, I just feel this was a terrific delivery. I think most batters in the world, who have studied his bowling and understand him, wouldn’t expect that delivery because even the way he released it, the seam position suggested the ball would leave him,” Nayar explained.
He further elaborated that most batters would have struggled against the delivery bowled by Xavier Bartlett, especially since the ball appeared to move away due to the seam position.
“Virat has always been someone who looks at the seam a lot. So he tries to pick the ball off the hand and off the seam. Just looking at the slow motion, you see the ball and you feel the ball is going to leave you, which is why he has taken that position. The ball pitches, it hits the other side of the seam, and nips back in. Most batters will struggle with that,” Nayar observed.
Kohli had initially left the first two deliveries outside the off-stump before defending the third ball. He missed the fourth ball while attempting to play across the line and was caught plumb in front of the wickets.
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