Hayden Encourages Kohli to Excel in Boxing Day Test, Urges Him to Emulate Tendulkar

New Delhi, Dec 24 (NationPress) Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has encouraged Virat Kohli to resist the temptation to play at balls outside the off stump, citing one of the greatest innings ever played by Sachin Tendulkar during the 2003-04 Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Aside from Kohli's unbeaten century in the second innings of the first Test at Perth, the 36-year-old has faced challenges with his batting, often getting caught playing at deliveries outside the off-stump. Hayden believes the conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the Boxing Day Test, will be favorable for batters and he is confident that the Indian superstar can regain his form if he can avoid the temptation to chase balls outside the off-stump.

"There could have been magnificent wins, there could have been losses, there could have been spinning conditions—I mean, you can list off a hundred different areas where Virat Kohli, over his magnificent career, would have batted. But in Melbourne, he’s going to have a good batting track. What he does need to do is find a way to continue staying at the crease. Flashing outside the off-stump is something that he’s going to have to resist," said Hayden to Star Sports.

Hayden also reminisced about one of the most remarkable Test innings played by Sachin when he faced the fierce Australian attack of Brett Lee, Andy Bichel, and Jason Gillespie, who aimed for the same areas in an attempt to exploit the outside edge. What followed was an extraordinary display of determination as the ‘Master Blaster’ scored an unbeaten 241, an innings filled with 33 boundaries, yet none were played in the cover region.

"And I suggest - he gets in line with the ball a bit more and looks to play down the ground a little bit more... I know he’s a magnificent cover driver, but so was Sachin Tendulkar, and he put it away for a day. I sat in the gully licking my lips, thinking, you know what, this is magnificent, stubborn batting. I didn’t look like getting a catch that day, and yet I felt like I was in the game that entire series.

"Sachin put away the cover drive, worked his way into the innings, hit off his legs beautifully, took on the spin, and addressed the areas of concern. He put a big cross through them and said, ‘Not on my watch today.’ Virat Kohli has that personality, and I’m sure we’ll see it in Melbourne," he added.

The ongoing BGT is perfectly set for an exciting finish with India and Australia tied at 1-1. India’s top order has faced significant difficulties in the second and third Tests, and the team will rely heavily on Kohli’s experience and brilliance to secure a series win in Australia for an unprecedented third consecutive time.