Australia vs India 2018: We Will Need a Few Options to Take Down Virat Kohli - Josh Hazlewood

Australia vice-captain Josh Hazlewood has admitted that although India’s batting line-up is the best in the world but not untameable if India skipper Virat Kohli can be kept at check.

Meanwhile, both sides will renew their fierce rivalry from December 6 at the Adelaide Oval. The former greats have tipped India as the favourites in the upcoming four-match Test series. Kohli has also been in good form and will look to replicate his stellar show from India’s tour of Australia in 2014-15.

Virat Kohli had scored 692 runs, including four centuries and Hazlewood said the run-machine would once again take centre stage.

“I see the Indian line up as the best in the world, if not right up there, led by Virat and I think they feed a lot of him and how he goes about things,” Hazlewood said.

“They’ve played a lot at home since we played them last in Australia. They toured England and South Africa, and it was only Virat who stood out. A lot of the others haven’t scored too many of the runs,” he added.

Josh Hazlewood said his team has been making plans for Kohli and a few “options” will be in place. But sledging the marauding batsman does not figure in those options.

“I think we’ll obviously have a chat about him before the game starts. We’ll come up with a couple of options. It’s about what conditions suit, with a player of that caliber you need a few options,” Hazlewood added.

“Virat obviously thrives on that sort of stuff. It gets him going and he probably plays his best cricket when he’s doing that. It’s up to the individual – if it’s a bowler or a fielder. I am usually pretty quiet when I am bowling,” he signed off.