'I don’t expect you to just play well against Australia, I expect you to win' - Sourav Ganguly shares a message to Virat Kohli

The world is eagerly waiting for India to lock horns with Australia in a four-match Test series Down Under. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has financially affected many cricket boards, the India-Australia holds much importance for the BCCI as well as CA.

India had won a four-match Test series in Australia 2-1 in 2018-19. However, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has said that it won’t be a repeat of 2018 as Australia will now have the likes of David Warner and Steve Smith. The Warner-Smith duo didn’t brace the field in the 2018-19 series because of their ball-tampering ban.

Despite Australia being equipped with Warner and Smith, Sourav Ganguly has backed Kohli and Co to flaunt a robust batting and bowling performance. Ganguly said that India will have to pile up massive runs on the scoreboard as that was the key when his team triumphed in England, Australia and Pakistan.

I have tremendous regard for Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly

“It’s going to be a tough series. It’s not going to be what it was in 2018 when they went. It’s going to be a strong Australia but our team is as good. We have the batting, we have the bowling.

Absolutely (hopeful of the team). We just got to bat better. You know the best teams overseas, they bat well. When we were so successful away from home, in England, in Australia and in Pakistan, we were getting 400, 500 and 600 in Test matches,” Sourav Ganguly told Consulting Editor Boria Majumdar on the latest episode of ‘India Today Inspiration’.

Ganguly also revealed that he refers Virat Kohli as ‘chief’ and added that he has tremendous regard for the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. Ganguly said that he expects Kohli not to just play well against Australia but also clinch the victory.

“I have said that to Virat also. I said ‘chief’, I have tremendous regard for him, tremendous regard for Rohit Sharma and Bumrah as well,” said Ganguly.

“I said ‘because you’re Virat Kohli, your standards are high. When you walk to play, when you walk with your team, I, watching on TV, don’t expect you to just play well against Australia. I expect you to win. So for me, that is what it is. Because you have set the standards. It’s not anybody else. So you have to live up to the standards,” he added.