IND v AUS 2023: ‘I don’t think he’s at his pure best’- Mark Waugh says drought over for Virat Kohli

Mark Waugh had earlier said that a century is just around the corner for Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli | Getty Images

Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh’s prediction of Virat Kohli ending his century drought in Test cricket during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 against Australia came true.

After the Indore Test, Waugh had said Kohli is batting well and a century is just around the corner.

I cannot believe a player of his class has gone that long without a hundred. He’s a world-class player and I feel like a hundred is just around the corner for him,” Waugh had said.

The former Indian skipper smashed a stunning knock of 186 runs in the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Ahmedabad.

Kohli’s 28th Test century came after 1205 days since his last ton in November 2019. He last smashed a Test hundred against Bangladesh in November 2019. However, the right-hander needed 241 balls to end his century drought in the longest format of the game, as it was the second-slowest hundred.

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Reacting to Kohli’s knock, Waugh said that Kohli showed his class and determination, and this inning will open all the barriers for him, but he is still not at his "pure best" with the bat.

Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket: “The drought’s over. The gates have opened. You could tell right from the get-go he meant business. He played very few risky shots. He was so patient, just picked the bowling off. I don’t think he’s at his pure best at the moment, as far as his Test career is concerned … but it just shows you his class.”

Notably, India and Australia both will face each other in a three-match ODI series, starting on March 17. There will also be the WTC 2023 final between these two teams in Oval, London from June 7.

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 14 Mar, 2023

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