cricket

Updated: Dec 24, 2018 14:02 IST

Even as the Indian and Australian team prepares for the historic Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from Wednesday, India skipper Virat Kohli added a dash of pink to his cricket accessories when he sported gloves with pink on it. With the series tied at 1-1, the Test gathers further importance as the team taking the lead in this game could eventually go on to win the series. Interestingly, Virat Kohli is only 181 runs away from becoming the highest run-getter in a year across formats and the Boxing Day Test could be the perfect occasion for him to achieve the feat.

Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has described Virat Kohli as a “fantastic captain”, having shared the dressing room with the India captain while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Kohli’s on-field heated exchanges with Australia skipper Tim Paine in the second Test turned out to be a subject of discussion with many former players, including Mitchell Johnson, criticising the batting maestro’s behaviour. However, Starc backed Kohli.

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“I’ve played a couple of IPLs with Virat and he’s been fantastic to play under, as a captain,” Starc told reporters. “Obviously, he’s a fantastic player. The way India play this series and go about their cricket, it’s up to them.”

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden feels that India are well-equipped in all departments of the game to win their first-ever Test series in Australia.

India have never tasted a Test series victory in Australia in their previous eleven attempts and the Adelaide win was their only sixth Down Under in the history of the game. Despite this, Hayden feels that Virat Kohli’s troops are top favourites to return home with the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

“I think India should clinch the series. Why? Because, they have a balanced side, an extremely settled bowling unit, and depth in spin,” Hayden was quoted as saying by the Mumbai Mirror.

“It is hard to win away from home and this will prove to be no different. But India should win, they really are the favourites, they need good partnerships, which they have not had,” he added.