"If he gets going..": Ravi Shastri makes prediction for Virat Kohli in the ICC WTC final

Ravi Shastri believes Virat Kohli can score big in ICC WTC final against Australia at The Oval, London.

Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of the Indian cricket team, holds the belief that Virat Kohli possesses a special affinity for batting against Australia. Shastri suggests that if the renowned batsman manages to surpass the 20-run milestone, he has the potential to achieve a significant score in the forthcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval. Kohli played a crucial role in India's successful defense of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia earlier this year, where he also ended his Test century drought. In the ongoing 2021-23 World Test Championships, Kohli has already amassed an impressive tally of 869 runs, featuring multiple centuries.

“Virat Kohli will wake up differently if the match is against Australia, he smells the coffee much earlier if it's Australia, so if he gets going, gets to 20, then we will have some fun,” Shastri said.

Kohli motivated by Australia's competitiveness

Kohli previously expressed that his motivation to excel is amplified when facing Australia due to their intense competitiveness and impressive skill level.

In a recent interview with Star Sports, Virat Kohli shared his thoughts ahead of India's ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval, scheduled to begin on June 7. Kohli said “Australian team is a very competitive side that if you give them even a small window, they will come very hard at you and capitalise. Their skill set is really high. That is the reason my motivation increases even more and I had to take my game to the next level against them. I have to rise and elevate my game against Australia to beat them."

Virat Kohli's Record Against Australia

Virat Kohli undeniably relishes the opportunity to compete against Australia. In the 24 Test matches he has played against them, Kohli has amassed an impressive total of 1,979 runs, averaging 48.26. Within these matches, he has achieved eight centuries and five half-centuries, with his highest individual score standing at 186. When considering all formats of the game, Kohli's encounters with Australia span across 92 matches, during which he has accumulated a remarkable tally of 4,945 runs at an average of 50.97. Amongst these innings, he has notched up 16 centuries and 24 half-centuries against the Australian side.