cricket

Updated: Nov 29, 2018 08:30 IST

The Indian cricket team enter the Test series against Australia as favourites, primarily because of the better balance in the batting order. There is certainty as far as roles assigned to the different batsmen are concerned, and the fulcrum of this order remains skipper Virat Kohli.

The Indian captain has been in roaring form this year in Test matches across conditions and has scored centuries in South Africa and England. He has always been a prolific run scorer on the true pitches of Australia and when he steps out to bat in Adelaide for the first Test, he will be on the cusp of overtaking master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, for the most number of centuries scored in Australia.

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Kohli has five centuries to his name in Australian conditions and is one ton short of Sachin’s tally. In the previous tour, Kohli peeled off four centuries in the series and considering the form he has enjoyed in the recent past, he should ideally breeze past Sachin’s record.

Tendulkar has scored 1809 runs in 20 Tests at an average of 53.20. Kohli, on the other hand, has scored 992 runs in 8 matches against Australia an average of 62.

The task at hand is not an easy one for Kohli, as he will have to face the troika of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. The three bowlers tormented England in the Ashes last season and have the ability to run through batting orders and the Indian side should be wary of the threat.