Virat Kohli returning home early won’t mean that he will be extra motivated to score runs in the limited number of matches that he will play on the Australian tour, according to all-rounder Marcus Stoinis.
Australia and India will play a series of 3 ODIs, 3 T20 internationals and four Tests. The two teams are currently quarantining in Sydney, the venue of the 1st match of the ODI series on November 27.
Kohli will head back to Mumbai after playing the limited-overs series and the first Test against Australia to attend the birth of his first child with wife Anushka Sharma in January next year.
But Stoinis laughed off suggestions that the run machine would be feeling any extra motivation to make a mark before he departs.
“Don’t worry about Virat; he’s up for every single game that he’s playing,” Stoinis said on Saturday.
“I don’t think you can get any extra motivation than 110 per cent … he’ll be ready to go.
“We’ve got our strategies (against him), had things that have worked in the past, but other times the plans haven’t worked and he’s made some runs … hopefully things land on our side of the court (this summer),” he added.
Admitting that he is a “big fan” of Virat Kohli, former Australia captain Allan Border said that India will miss the passion and aggression which the India captain brings on the field.
“Look, I love the way he plays his game; he wears his heart on his sleeve. I like his aggression and passion for the game. India as a team will miss that. He is a special player, has serious talent and is part of this new India — that’s the way I look at it.
