AUS vs IND 2025: "It will take a lot of grit and determination from him" - Former India coach backs Virat Kohli to finish ODI series strongly

Published - 24 Oct 2025, 20:17 IST | Updated - 24 Oct 2025, 20:32 IST

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar feels that the rub of the green has not gone Virat Kohli's way in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia. The talismanic batter couldn't open his account in both matches. However, Nayar believes that Kohli will be able to overcome this lean patch with his grit and determination.

Nayar recalled how Kohli has bounced back strongly after facing setbacks in his international career. He mentioned how Kohli had a disastrous outing with the bat in England in 2014 but conquered his demons in the same country four years later. Nayar has backed the 36-year-old to have a good finish to the series when he steps onto the Sydney Cricket Ground for the third and final ODI on Saturday, October 25.

"You always say you need the rub of the green. He has not had it yet. That doesn't mean he can't. There are two zeroes, all he has to do is add the one on the side. It will take a lot of grit and determination from him, but those are stories," Nayar said during an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan'.

"A Virat Kohli doesn't become a Virat Kohli without overcoming failures. He has done that in the past. He has struggled in England. He has gone back and conquered it. He has got one more game to conquer his demons, but if there is someone whom I would rely and bet on, that would be Virat," Nayar elaborated.

Nayar opined that Kohli got out to a brilliant delivery from Xavier Bartlett in the second ODI in Adelaide. The former India all-rounder feels that most batters in world cricket would have struggled to cope with that delivery.

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"To be honest, regardless of seeing Virat getting out or not, I just feel this was a terrific delivery. I think most batters in the world, who have studied his bowling and understand him, wouldn't expect that delivery because even the way he released it, the seam position suggested the ball would leave him," Nayar said.

"Virat has always been someone who looks at the seam a lot. So he tries to pick the ball off the hand and off the seam. Just looking at the slow motion, you see the ball and you feel the ball is going to leave you, which is why he has taken that position. The ball pitches, it hits the other side of the seam, and nips back in. Most batters will struggle with that," he observed.