Australia has got inside Virat's head: Matthew Hayden

The performance of the Indian cricket team in the ongoing series against Australia has not been the way we all had expected it to be. After a dream run under Virat Kohli’s leadership, India has suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Aussies in the first Test match at Pune. Former Australian batsman Mathew Hayden feels that a long-running home season is the reason behind Virat Kohli’s poor performances and the Indian batting collapse.

Kohli’s figures have not at all been impressive as he has managed scores of 0, 13 and 12 in the Border-Gavaskar series. And quite surprisingly, Virat Kohli’s men are yet to post a 200 in the series while the Australian spinners have called the shots.

Kohli’s shot on day one was termed as “brain fade” by national selector Mark Waugh and Hayden feels Australia has got into the Indian skipper’s head in his 11^th test of the season.

India has been playing a lot of Test cricket since September including tests against England, New Zealand and Bangladesh. According to Hayden the two difficult pitches, an exhausting schedule and tremendous bowling performances by the Australian team are the factors that lead to India’s downfall.

“Hayden quoted “It’s been a pretty long summer for India, so far,” Hayden told cricket.com.au before play on day two in Bengaluru as Australia chase India’s first innings total of 189.”

“Their board has asked them to play a lot of cricket and once you get behind the momentum of the game it’s often hard to claw back. I’m not saying they can’t claw back”

“We (Australia) are gloating at the moment, it’s 0-40 at the start of the day but they (India) are very optimistic and they should be because this wicket is a very challenging one to bat on.”

“It’s taken India by surprise in the first game just how diabolical that surface was in Pune and this one as well, which is traditionally such a good batting track.”

“We had beautiful day yesterday, it’s a small ground, it’s often got lots of runs and then it breaks up and starts to deteriorate as the game goes on.”

“We (Australia) are in Virat’s mind. We’re in the whole country’s mind, actually, because (there) was such a huge build up to this series.”

“(India) have played a lot of Test match cricket up to this point but this is the series they really wanted to dominate and they’re just not getting their way currently.”

The Indian skipper has shown some excellent form with the bat in the tests against New Zealand and England but has somehow failed to deliver against the Aussies. Nathan Lyon who picked up eight Indian wickets including that of Virat Kohli on Day one of the 2^nd test match expects Virat to come back strongly.

“To be able to take his wicket today was exceptional,” Lyon said after play on day one.” But we know this series is a massive series, a long series, and he’s a world-class batter. “We expect him to bounce back bigger and better”