His average this year is a meagre 22.72 from six Tests, though those matches have been played on ultra spin-friendly pitches.
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Kohli has excelled in Australian conditions, averaging 54.08 from four tours here, though pitches on these shores have become more difficult to bat on in the past four years.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri, who was at the helm of the country’s historic series wins in Ausralia in 2018-19 and 2020-21, is backing Kohli to rediscover his best.
“Well, the king is back in his territory,” Shastri said on the ICC Review show.
“That’s all I will tell (the doubters). When you’ve earned that title after your exploits in Australia, it will be on your (opponent’s) mind when you go out to bat.”
Disgraced cricket coach hit with another misconduct ban
AAP
Cricket Australia has slapped former Sri Lanka Test player Dulip Samaraweera with another ban after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a player while coaching.
Already suspended from any involvement in Australian cricket for 20 years after being found to have behaved inappropriately towards a female player, Samaraweera has since been accused of further misconduct towards a different player.
According to a statement from Cricket Australia, the allegation of inappropriate conduct took place while Samaraweera was employed by Cricket Victoria but relates to private coaching sessions outside this role.
Dulip SamaraweeraCredit: Getty Images
Samaraweera denied the allegations, but CA said he chose not to participate in the investigation and subsequent conduct commission hearing, so he was banned for 10 years for breaching the sport’s code of conduct.
The ban will be served concurrently with his initial 20-year suspension, meaning he is still not able to return to any coaching role with Australia or a state or territory body until 2044 when he will be 72.
The seven-time Test representative had been involved in Cricket Victoria’s women’s program for almost 16 years, including as a long-time assistant coach at the WBBL’s Melbourne Stars, before resigning in May.
Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins had previously labelled Samaraweera’s conduct “utterly reprehensible” and “a betrayal of everything we stand for” after CA released the findings of its initial investigation in September.
“The victim in this case has demonstrated incredible strength of character and courage in speaking up,” Cummins said after the initial charge.
“She will continue to receive our ongoing support to allow her to achieve her goals on and off the field.
“From an organisation perspective, the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Cricket Victoria is paramount.
“We will not tolerate any behaviour which compromises that position, or our people, and will always support our culture of speaking up.”
The Colombo-born Samaraweera opened the batting in seven Tests for Sri Lanka between 1993 and 1995, before later moving into coaching.
He was an assistant coach with the Stars from the inaugural WBBL season in 2015, and even served as Victoria’s interim head coach for most of last summer.
Samaraweera had been due to take over the role full-time, but resigned in May when Cricket Victoria’s conflict of interest policy prevented him from hiring his brother Thilan to the coaching staff.
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