'Kohli was asked a lot of questions in England in 2014, 2021...': Chappell's warning ahead of IND vs AUS WTC final

Ahead of WTC final where India face Australia at The Oval, former captain Greg Chappell made a big Virat Kohli prediction.

Eyeing history, India face Australia in the World Test Championship final, at the Oval in London, scheduled to begin from June 7. India will be aiming to clinch their first-ever WTC title, after having lost to New Zealand in the inaugural edition's final two years ago, when Virat Kohli was the captain. What bodes well for India is that Kohli is back at his best, scoring runs in plenty. He has scored centuries in ODIs and T20Is - for both India and Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2023. The Kohli, who not too long ago looked susceptible, is no longer than same batter and the return to red-hot form couldn't have come at a more appropriate time, when India are on the brink of ending their ICC title drought of 10 years.

Virat Kohli during a practice session. (PTI)

Needless to say… Kohli will have to share the bulk of India's batting responsibilities against the fiery Australia trio of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins. India skipper Rohit Sharma too has been in fine Test nick, scoring a century against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy a couple of months ago, to go with the marvellous hundred he scored at The Oval two years back - the very venue which will determine the WTC 2021-2023 winners. Having said said, in batting, Kohli will once again be the trump card as the veteran middle-order duo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane would wish to rally around him.

However, days ahead of the WTC final, former India head coach Greg Chappell stressed on Kohli's form, while explaining that the conditions at The Oval could suit the batter. Kohli has had a bitter-sweet record in England. In 2014, he was exposed by James Anderson, but four years back, made the Englishmen pay, almost scoring 700 runs in the five-Test series. The 2021 series was bit of a letdown personally by Kohli's standards as the then-India skipper fought for runs. This time around though, things could be different. Why? Chappell pointed out Kohli's record against the Aussies and used it as an example.

"Virat Kohli was asked a lot of questions in England in 2014 and 2021 by Anderson, Broad and the rest of the English bowlers. They bowled some excellent lines and lengths to him in conditions that suited them. They knew he is the best and lifted themselves up when bowling to him. To think or say that the Australians will be able to do the same from ball one is not correct. The English know their own conditions better than anyone else in the world", Chappell said on the show 'Backstage with Boria Majumdar'.

"Virat loves to bat against the Australians. We have seen that in Australia. His record is evidence how good he is. He loves a contest and is never one to back off from one. The Oval from all of my experience is going to have bounce and it will suit Virat. You have said to me that the weather has stayed dry so far. If the weather continues to stay dry the Oval is as close to an Australian wicket in England as you will ever get. And that will suit Virat. I think if he is mentally switched on like I have said to you earlier in the conversation, he will get runs for India. He is a very good player and someone who can make a telling difference", he further added.

Here is a telling trivia to back Chappell's statements on Kohli's form. In the 2023 BGT, Kohli ended his long wait for a Test century when he scored 186 in the drawn fourth Test - his first since November of 2023. However, it was his solid innings of 44 on a turning Delhi surface that made his look a league apart from the rest. Besides, in the IPL 2023, despite RCB's failure to reach the Playoffs, Kohli was in fiery touch and bagged back-to-back centuries in RCB's last two league games. Kohli finished fourth in the Orange Cap race with 639 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 53.25 and 139.82 strike rate, including two hundreds and six half-centuries.

Kohli was also in good form in the 2022 Asia Cup, where he slammed his 71st ton after over three years, before taking his greatness to the next level with a once-in-a-lifetime epic against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, the same tournament which he ended as the highest scorer despite India's semi-final exit. He scored 296 runs in six matches, at an average of 98.67 and a 136.41 strike rate and hammered four half-centuries.