Kohli may be struggling for runs in Test cricket lately but he relishes batting on Australian pitches.
Kohli may be struggling for runs in Test cricket lately, but he relishes batting on Australian pitches. The 36-year-old has played 13 Tests Down Under, amassing 1352 runs at an average of 54.08 with six hundreds and four half-centuries.
"The one thing that I know of Virat is... because the fire burns so brightly and deep inside him, the intensity he brings to every ball that he is engaged in a game has been superhuman," Watson was quoted as saying on the Willow Talk podcast.
"But, there have been in recent times where moments in this career that fire has started to go out because it is just so hard to maintain that intensity in every moment he is involved in a game.
"And, that is where Australia have to leave him alone and hope he doesn't bring the intensity -- nine out of 10 intensity -- to every ball," he added.
Kohli produced his best in Australia during the 2014-15 tour when he aggregated 692 runs from four Tests at an average of 86.50, including four hundreds and a half-century. These extraordinary numbers are not lost on Watson.
"We have seen that when he has had success in Australia, he is up and above for everything in the middle. Every ball he is up for every single moment.
"You can see the fierce intensity that he brings, and if he gets that, then it shuts everything else out. That is when he is at his absolute best.
"If there is stuff happening around and that intensity is not there, that is when you will see the not-so-best version of Virat. So from an Australian perspective, let's hope we get to see that version of him," Watson remarked.
When the discussion turned to Australian batting, Watson backed Steve Smith to flourish against the formidable Indian bowling attack.
Over the years, Smith has played some of his best knocks in the longest format against India. In 19 Tests, he has amassed 2042 runs at an incredible average of 52.50, including nine hundreds and five half-centuries.
The unorthodox right-hander is set to return to his preferred No. 4 batting position. After David Warner’s retirement earlier this year, he had opened the batting in four Tests but the move didn't yield desired results.
"Steve wanted to open. He was super keen to take up a new challenge. But, one thing with that opportunity he had was he wasn't actually batting at his best at that time," Watson stated.
"So, he got an opportunity to open, and Steve Smith at his very best would have made the most out of it because he just loves scoring runs, whether it is opening or at No. 4. You could see it a few times he got out when he was opening – his game and his technique was a little bit off."
The marquee series is slated to get underway on November 22 in Perth. The action will then shift to Adelaide (December 6-10), where both teams will face each other in a Day-Night Test. The last three Tests are set to take place in Brisbane (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30), and Sydney (January 3-7).
(With PTI Inputs)