Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has told the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to target Virat Kohli's front pad often during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Healy also told the Aussie quicks to try and attack the body of the Indian star batter as well during the series if the first plan doesn't …
Target Virat Kohli’s front pads, else ‘body bash’: Ian Healy to Australia quicks
Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has told the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to target Virat Kohli’s front pad often during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Healy also told the Aussie quicks to try and attack the body of the Indian star batter as well during the series if the first plan doesn’t work.
Kohli is coming into the series not in the best of form in Tests as he has struggled for runs. The 36-year-old has scored just 250 runs in 6 matches at an average of 22.72. However, Australian players and pundits are wary of the Indian batter finding his touch down under with Healy wanting the quicks to target Kohli when he is sitting on the front foot.
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Speaking to SEN Radio, the Aussie legend said that he doesn’t want the bowlers to do it all the time but use it as an impact ball.
“The first matchup I’m looking at is how our quicks can bowl to Virat Kohli, and I think they should target his front pad quite often,” Healy was quoted saying to SEN Radio.
“He sits that front foot there and he can play from anywhere — he can play square on the off-side, he can whip onto the leg-side or he can rock back âæ but they’ve got to look for any sort of insecurity in his form and maybe target that front pad.”
“Don’t do it every ball because he’ll get used to itâæ it’s the impact ball that has to be on the front pad after he is set up with seam.”
Body bashing
Healy went on to say that if the front foot tactic fails to find any result, then they should try to ‘body bash’ Kohli by attacking the armpit area of the star batter and making him jump if he has to play those deliveries.
“If that’s (front-foot tactic) not working, body bash. Bowl at the back armpit, that’s the right arm as a right-handed batsmanâæ and it’s got to be hot,” Healy said.
“Have him jumping at times if he wants to ride those deliveries — ducking, weaving or bending backwards. Get that short leg position right next to him on the leg side and if you need a bumper, it’s got to go at the badge. He might try to bust out of a hard spell with a hook shot or pull shot and that will be hard to control if it’s badge height”.
“So that’s the second tactic, body bashing,” he added.
Kohli has scored 1352 runs in Australia at an average of 54.08.
