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Sachin Tendulkar took it on his ego and shelved the cover-drive against Australia in 2004. Can Virat Kohli do it in 2024?
Sachin Tendulkar speaks during an event in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)
Virat Kohli once again lost his wicket trying to fish a ball well outside his off-stump on Sunday. His return for 3 (16) left India at a precarious spot of 22/3, which soon became 44/4, in the second innings at Brisbane’s Gabba in the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT).
His previous three dismissals in the series have come in a similar fashion too. Australian pacers have either lured him into drives or bowled it on a length and tried to angle the ball away from his off-stump. The only time he didn’t fall to the tactic was in the second innings of the first Test when he came to bat in the 85th over against a tired attack. He remained unbeaten at 100.
It’s perhaps the right time for Kohli to look at his idol, Sachin Tendulkar, for inspiration. The Master Blaster went through a similar phase in late 2003, where he went 13 innings without a Test century. These included the first three Tests of the 2003-04 BGT in Australia, where his favorite shot, the cover drive, became his biggest enemy, giving away cheap edges and wickets.
But everything changed in the fourth and the final game — the New Year’s Test in Sydney. With India batting first after winning the toss, Tendulkar put on an exemplary 241 runs in 436 balls. The innings included 33 boundaries, but, interestingly, none came on the covers region.
How did he do it? He took it on his ego! This is what he once said about that knock: “You need to analyze which shot is dismissing you. Not playing the cover drive wasn’t a plan as such. But as soon as I went into the middle, I saw that the Australians were trying to play with my patience. All the balls were being thrown outside off. So, that triggered something in me, I thought, ‘Oh, are you looking to test my patience? Now it’s one of me versus 11 of you, let’s see who loses patience first’.”
After trying the same outside-off plan, the Australian attack started to bowl straighter, allowing Tendulkar boundaries on the leg side. He batted for 436 deliveries in total but refused to play the shot even when set. The former captain scored another unbeaten half-century in India’s second innings and the match, along with the series, ended in a draw.
Although Sydney was a much flatter track than what Kohli has got so far, and Tendulkar came out in relatively easier conditions too, there’s certainly some inspiration on offer for India’s current number four. Overcoming your muscle memory and not playing your favorite shots is an arduous task, which is easier said than done. However, if Kohli, too, can take it on his pride and show the Australians down with his patience, it’d be in the best interest of him and his team.
