Virat Kohli has smashed back-to-back centuries against Australia in the five-match series
Indian team captain Virat Kohli has been in sensational form over the last two years in limited-overs cricket and as the 2019 World Cup approaches, he is all set to be India's best bet to lift the trophy for the third time.
Kohli smashed back-to-back centuries against Australia in the last two ODIs and now his tally stands at 41 in the 50-over format and 66 overall.
The 30-year-old smashed 3985 runs in 59 ODI innings at an average of 88.55 and a strike rate of 99.52 since 2016 -- numbers which are even more impressive than his overall career numbers.
Kohli's form have been such that it is believed that the Indian trailblazer could surpass Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 49 ODI centuries in this year itself with still two ODIs remaining against Australia and the World Cup and series against West Indies, South Africa and Bangladesh to follow.
However, bowlers might find some help from a legend, who is surely bowled over by the legend of Kohli but also has some advice about how to contain him.
Former Australia bowler and legend Shane Warne revealed that bowlers should try and bowl at one side of the wicket and look to defend that instead of bowling into the stumps because Kohli is excellent on both sides of the wicket.
"I think the one thing you need to do with Virat, which is one thing teams don't do enough of, is take away both sides of the wicket," Warne told ESPNcricinfo
"If you're going to bowl to Virat Kohli, you either bowl at leg stump and protect the on side, or you bowl wide of off stump and you protect the off side. You cannot bowl at the stumps, because he can hit you both ways. So, I think you've to take out one side of the field. Protect just one side of the field, that's how you bowl to very good players," he added.
Warne also revealed his plan of action against the Indian juggernaut.
"I'd be bowling wide of off stump and letting him try to cover drive with a slip, short cover and some protection out there. So then it'll be very hard for him to get it over the leg side. That's what I'd be trying to do and hopefully get a little bit lucky and he mis-hits one," Warne said.
Australia's Adam Zampa has been fairly successful against him but despite that, Kohli has managed to hit two centuries in the series and has shown no signs of slowing down. Zampa and the Aussies will hope to take advice from Warne and implement it in Mohali, when the two teams get down to business for the penultimate ODI of the five-match series on Sunday.
