BGT 2024-25: Ian Healy suggests ‘body bash’ to Aussie pacers to target Virat Kohli

New Delhi: Australian cricket great Ian Healy wants pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to capitalise on Virat Kohli’s lean patch of form and should look to target the right-hander with ‘body bash’ in the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, starting from November 22 at Perth. Kohli has dominated previously in red-ball cricket in Australia, averaging 54.08 and scoring six centuries from 13 Tests. However, he averages just 22.72 in his six Test matches this year, and Healy thinks that the pace trio could test his forward defence with straighter impact balls that are designed to trap him in front LBW. “The first matchup I’m looking at is how our quicks can bowl to Virat Kohli, and I think they should target his front pad quite often. He sits that front foot there and he can play from anywhere – he can play square on the off-side, he can whip onto the leg-side or he can rock back … but they’ve got to look for any sort of insecurity in his form and maybe target that front pad,” Healy told SENQ Breakfast. “But don’t do it every ball because he’ll get used to it … it’s the impact ball that has to be on the front pad after he is set up with seam,” he said. Healy further said if the first matcup doesn’t work when Kohli takes on the bowling with hook and pull shots then the bowlers should look to go for body smashes to tackle the former Indian skipper. Kohli had hit 116 – first Test hundred at Adelaide in January 2012, followed by making 115 and 141 at the same venue in 2014, where he captained India for the first time in Tests. The former skipper also made 123, the first Test hundred by an Indian batter in the new Perth Stadium in 2018, where he eventually led India to 2-1 series victory, their first-ever Test series win in Australia. “If that’s not working, body bash. Bowl at the back armpit, that’s the right arm as a right-handed batsman … and it’s got to be hot. Have him jumping at times if he wants to ride those deliveries – ducking, weaving or bending backwards. “Get that short leg position right next to him on the leg side and if you need a bumper, it’s got to go at the badge. He might try to bust out of a hard spell with a hook shot or pull shot and that will be hard to control if it’s badge height. So that’s the second tactic, body bashing,” Healy said. –IANS