The bowler who’s got Kohli’s number
Adam Zampa is one of the few bowlers in the world who can claim to have the wood over Virat Kohli, after claiming his wicket four times in the past year.
Zampa will head to Rajkot for today’s second ODI with an advantage over the world’s best batsman, having removed the Indian captain six times in international cricket.
The Australian legspinner had Kohli caught and bowled in yesterday’s big win over India, after also getting him three times on last year’s limited-overs tour.
In total, Zampa has bowled 16.1 overs at Kohli in ODIs, with figures of 4-126. He has also taken his wicket twice in Twenty20s internationals.
‘‘He was probably one bowler, who had more belief than others [in the 2019 tour] I felt,’’ Kohli said this week.
‘‘Throughout the game, even when he was hit for boundaries, he kept coming at the batsmen and try and get them out, which I think is important for a wristspinner.
‘‘And his mindset was a stand out for them in the last series.
‘‘He’s still skilful enough to make breakthrough also, So we
have to be respectful but at the same time have belief in our game to be able to play well against them.’’
Incredibly, Zampa has earned Kohli’s scalp double the amount of times he has any other batsman, with his next best wicket haul three times against other batsman.
Zampa has had Kohli out trying to go down the ground on five of the six occasions.
Kohli’s wicket will again be the prized scalp in Rajkot and for the final game of the series in Bengaluru.
Removed for 16 yesterday, Kohli averages a touch under 60 in one-day cricket and rarely fails twice in a row.
Meanwhile, India’s Shikhar Dhawan – who provided a rare bright spark with 75 – insisted his team had been beaten but not broken in the flogging after Australian openers David Warner (128 off 112 balls) and Aaron Finch (110 off 114) scored unbeaten hundreds to run down the 256-run target in just 37.4 overs.
‘‘It’s just one bad day at office,’’ Dhawan said. ‘‘We just analysed where we went wrong and mentally we work on.
‘‘It’s a new day, so get ourself back and get the positivity going. We guys have been playing very good cricket the whole year, so one bad day in office fine.
‘‘We know we are a strong team and we will get back stronger.’’
The hosts could also have further problems headed into today’s match, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant nursing a suspected concussion.
He did not keep wicket in the second innings in Mumbai after being hit by a Pat Cummins bouncer, with KL Rahul filling in.
He will be monitored ahead of the second game in the series.
– AAP