Sun Nov 10 06:43:25 UTC 2024: ## Zaheer Abbas Backs Kohli to Shine in Australia, Calls for Mental Focus
**Perth, Australia** – Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas has expressed confidence in Virat Kohli’s ability to regain his form ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, starting November 22nd in Perth.
Despite Kohli’s recent struggles in the longer format, Abbas believes the Indian star simply needs to regain his mental focus. “Kohli doesn’t have any technical problem, just that he needs to concentrate harder,” said Abbas. “When you are playing almost non-stop cricket, your mind can become jaded and you tend to lose concentration while batting.”
Abbas is particularly optimistic about Kohli’s prospects in Australia, where the pitches are expected to offer less lateral movement, a condition that suits Kohli’s batting style. “I back Kohli to score runs on true Australian pitches. He would enjoy batting there. The ball will come on to the bat. There will not be much lateral movement, and he is a great player. If he can get into the right frame of mind, he should score a lot of runs,” Abbas stated.
Kohli boasts a stellar record in Australia, scoring 1,352 runs at an average of 54.08 in 13 Tests, including six centuries.
However, Abbas did acknowledge Kohli’s recent struggles against spin, particularly in the recent series against New Zealand. “Batting sometimes can become a lottery on rank turners. Anytime a ball might come with your name on it. Such pitches can make even average spinners look like world-class bowlers,” he said.
“I don’t think Kohli has any technical issues against spin. That said, he hasn’t been scoring runs for a while now and he has to get back to form in Australia. A lot will depend on how he performs in the series,” Abbas concluded.
The upcoming series in Australia will be crucial for Kohli to regain his form and prove his doubters wrong.
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