AUS v IND 2020-21: Chappell finds similarities in Hazlewood-Kohli duel with McGrath-Lara battle 

Ian Chappell raved over how Josh Hazlewood bowled to Virat Kohli during the ODI series.

Hazlewood got Kohli out thrice in three games | GettyFormer captain Ian Chappell says he really enjoys contemporary Aussie quick Josh Hazlewood's riveting duel with India skipper Virat Kohli, inarguably one of the world's best batsman. 

For Chappell, this epic battle is comparable to the one that enthralled the cricket lovers in yesteryears, involving Australia and West Indies greats, Glenn McGrath and Brian Lara. 

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Hazlewood getting Kohli out caught behind in the third and final ODI in Canberra on Wednesday (December 2) was the fourth instance of right-arm pacer dismissing the Indian batting maestro in seven 50-overs internationals. 

McGrath didn't quite dominate Lara in one-day cricket, but in Tests, he certainly enjoyed a wood over the 'Prince of Trinidad'. No bowler got Lara out more times in whites than McGrath, dismissing him on 15 occasions in 24 Tests. 

"One of the reasons why people go to games is to watch a contest between a really good bowler and a really good batsmen," Chappell told 'Wide World of Sports'.

"I really enjoyed those contests between McGrath and Lara, the same as I enjoy seeing Hazlewood against Kohli."

Kohli may not have been at his best during the one-dayers but he still played two very fine knocks of 89 and 63 in the last two games. And it required Hazlewood to be accurate with his line and length for a considerable period of time to get the master batsman out thrice in three games. 

"He's a very consistent bowler, Hazlewood, and I think he surprises batsmen a little bit with his pace," Chappell said.

"I think he did that to Kohli in the game in Sydney. But his biggest strength is his consistency. Everything about his bowling is consistent: his action, his length and he doesn't give you any easy runs to score. And with that ability to also get a little bit of movement he's a tough customer."

"(Mitchell) Starc in the first two games of the series was very erratic. When that's happening you get opportunities to score and that's not what you want to be doing with a guy like Kohli," he added. 

(Inputs from nine.com.au)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 04 Dec, 2020

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