IND vs NED: 'The Extra Pace And Bounce And Carry Allow Virat Kohli To Be His Flamboyant Self'- Lisa Sthalekar Feels Australian Pitches Suit Indian Veteran

Former Australia all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar claimed that the current T20 World Cup would be the beginning of Virat Kohli’s second wind just before he would play a knock for the ages. India defeated Pakistan on Sunday in a last-ball victory in Melbourne, defeating them by four wickets.

Many argued that Kohli’s 71st century came against a weakened Afghanistan team, despite the fact that he had previously ended the agonising wait for it during the Asia Cup.

Sportskeeda spoke with Lisa Sthalekar an hour before the significant match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), and she expressed her opinion that the former India captain Virat Kohli excels in Australian conditions.

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We Will See Virat Kohli Scoring Runs: Lisa Sthalekar

“I think the pitches suit him. The extra pace and bounce and carry allow him to be his flamboyant self. And he’s got some wonderful people around him as well. So it’s not just upto him, if the Indian side are going to be successful. But hopefully, we’ll get to see him score runs,” Sthalekar said in an exclusive chat.

The Hall of Famer from Australia has it right. Virat Kohli took matters into his own hands to defeat the arch-rivals as his colleagues struggled on the big stage. Together with Hardik Pandya (40 off 37), Virat Kohli had a fifth-wicket partnership that added 113 runs, and he concluded with an unbeaten 82* off 53 balls to astound the 90,293 spectators.

India was dropped to 31 for 4 in the seventh over while attempting the challenging 160. Pakistan’s pace batteries proved to be too strong for skipper Rohit Sharma (4 off 7) and KL Rahul, adding to the top-order difficulties (4 off 8).

Rohit has led the charge for India’s new, all-out offensive strategy. But he has frequently received criticism from both sides for blowing his wicket. Many individuals think that the 35-year-old should bat deep while delegating the long handle to others.

India Are Playing A Certain Way: Lisa Sthlekar

Pune-born Lisa Sthalekar thinks India’s present mindset is a two-edged sword. She does, however, want the Men in Blue to continue practising.

“It’s a fine line, T20 cricket – either you are a hero or you are a villain. I think India are playing a certain way, a certain brand, and I think they should keep going,” Sthalekar, who played 125 ODIs, 54 T20Is and 8 Tests, added.

The three big guns would be treating their match against each other as a virtual knockout since there were three minnows in each group. India would be well-positioned if it could defeat Pakistan. Babar Azam’s team will be exhaling a breath of relief in the meanwhile since the weather stopped South Africa from defeating Zimbabwe on Monday with all three points.

India And Pakistan Stand Out: Lisa Sthalekar

Lisa Sthalekar voted for the two Asian powerhouses to advance from Group 2 despite the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket.

“It’s a tough one, isn’t it? T20 cricket, everything is shortened and one person can have a great day out. I do think India and Pakistan stand out. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see these two teams progress,” she concluded.

On October 27, India will face the Netherlands in Sydney, and Pakistan will play Zimbabwe in Perth the same evening.

Also Read: NZ vs AFG: Daryl Mitchell To Return As New Zealand Get Ready For Afghanistan Clash