Brad Hogg thinks that the performance of Indian Test cricket’s senior batsmen Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara is being closely watched, as there are many other players eager to play.
Despite his concerns, Brad Hogg pointed out that both Kohli and Pujara should be allowed more time to improve. He also predicted that Kohli will bounce back to his usual form after taking a brief break following the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Brad Hogg on Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara
“I think Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara are on watch at the moment with the talent that’s going around in Indian cricket right now. But when you look at those two experienced players, the amount of travel they’ve had and they’ve just come out of the COVID bubbles. For me, when they get a decent break after the IPL, you’ll see the best of Virat Kohli again,” Hogg said.
In the current four-match Test series against Australia, Virat Kohli has faced difficulties in performing well. Despite starting reasonably well in some innings, he has not been able to convert those starts into significant scores. Across five innings, Kohli has scored a total of 111 runs with an average of 22.20. Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara has earned praise for his batting performance during the second innings of the third Test in Indore. Despite a challenging pitch at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, the experienced batsman scored 59 runs from 142 balls.
Hogg also mentioned Sarfaraz Khan
According to Brad Hogg, Sarfaraz Khan, a right-handed batsman, is likely to be included in India’s Test team in the near future. Hogg believes that the 25-year-old has the necessary skills to perform well at the highest level. However, he suggested that Sarfaraz should not be brought in as an immediate replacement for Suryakumar Yadav, as Yadav deserves more chances to prove himself in Test cricket. Hogg also suggested that if Kohli and Pujara continue to struggle, the Mumbai-based batsman could be a good option to consider.
“Sarfaraz Khan is such a talent. But he’s got to prove himself a little more. Yes, he has been making runs in first-class cricket. But under pressure in the IPL, he sort of dropped on and off there. He has the ability to play at the highest level. I feel Suryakumar Yadav should get more opportunities before Sarfaraz Khan comes in. If Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara don’t perform over the next couple of months, he won’t be a bad one to bring in,” Hogg added.
Sarfaraz Khan has recently displayed excellent form in domestic cricket. He performed exceptionally well with the bat for Mumbai in the latest season of the Ranji Trophy, scoring a total of 556 runs in nine innings at an impressive average of 92.66.
