Former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan has stressed the importance of strike rotation for Virat Kohli ahead of the third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The match will be Kohli’s final game in the series, where he has struggled with the bat, having been dismissed for ducks in the first two ODIs. “Virat Kohli’s form is important. He needs to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard moving. Because once he starts doing that, it becomes very difficult for any opposition to stop him. I hope Virat starts rotating the strike quickly, gets some runs on the board, and once that happens, there’s no looking back for him,” Pathan said. Kohli will be looking to end the series on a high and add valuable runs to India’s total. The SCG match also presents the chance for the star batter to demonstrate his class on Australian soil, a venue where he has previously produced match-winning performances. Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar highlighted the role of India’s pacers in the final ODI. “With the kind of assistance they’re getting on these Australian pitches, they need to make full use of the conditions and show that in their performances. I would like to see the Indian pacers, especially with the new ball, strike early and make that impact,” Nayar said. Fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh have shared six of India’s 11 wickets in the series so far, while Mohammed Siraj has picked up one. Arshdeep remains India’s leading pacer with three wickets at an average of 24.00, compared to Rana’s two wickets at 43.00 and Siraj’s solitary wicket at 70.Ex-India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra suggested that India might benefit from including spin in Sydney, where pitches tend to support spinners. “Three fast bowlers might not be needed in Sydney, because it is generally a spin-friendly pitch. Kuldeep Yadav enjoys bowling here; it is a big ground, and you can use that to your advantage in the middle overs. India should play Kuldeep and look to exploit the middle overs phase, creating wicket-taking opportunities and pressure through spin,” he said.
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Will Virat Kohli bounce back in the third ODI against Australia?
Kuldeep has previously taken eight wickets at SCG across formats, including a five-wicket haul during the 2018/19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His inclusion could provide India with crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs.
