No Communication From Gautam Gambhir? India Star Shardul Thakur Breaks Silence On Australia Snub

With the highly anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia set to commence on November 22 at Perth, Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur has expressed confidence in Virat Kohli's ability to deliver in the series despite recent struggles. Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma have faced scrutiny for their inconsistent form during the New Zealand tour, managing a combined 184 runs across six innings. As fans and experts debate their place in the Test side, Thakur believes Kohli's stellar record and experience in Australia will prove invaluable.

Thakur shed light on the immense pressure that Kohli faces, emphasising the high expectations surrounding the star batter. "With playing, criticism will always come. When Virat bats, we tend to expect him to score a century every time. So, even if he scores 70 runs, it feels like he has failed, but the reality is, he has still scored 70 runs. He has made so many centuries; after Sachin Tendulkar, he is the one with the most centuries in the world," Thakur told IANS after finishing the third day's play in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match against Services at the Air Force ground at Palam here on Friday.

Thakur further highlighted Kohli's outstanding performances in Australia over the years, where the former Indian captain has accumulated over 600 runs in 13 Tests at an average exceeding 50.

“Everyone knows, deep down, how well Virat plays in Australia. He has everything — whether it's technique or the right approach — to succeed on the Australian tour. He has proven it time and again whenever he has toured Australia, and I am confident he will do it again this time. He will be back don't worry,” Thakur asserted confidently.

Thakur himself has been on a determined journey of