FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Second Test - South Africa v India - Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa - January 3, 2024 India's Virat Kohli in action REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Former Australia opener David Warner is convinced Virat Kohli will be amongst the runs in the upcoming five-test series and has warned his former teammates not to write off the Indian batting great.
India will be aiming for a third successive series triumph Down Under when the first test starts in Perth on Friday but have concerns about the recent form of batting mainstays Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Warner, who experienced a few dry spells during his 13-year test career, said Kohli's 1,352 runs and six centuries in 13 tests on Australian soil should be a matter for concern for the home team.
"I don't worry about Virat Kohli away from Australia, I worry about Virat Kohli in Australia. He averages 55," Warner told reporters on Tuesday.
"He hasn't had the wickets that batsman would love to be batting on and that's what scares me about him and Rohit Sharma ... With good batting wickets, hopefully this summer, I think Virat is going to be amongst the runs."
As well as more favourable batting conditions, Warner thought the profile of the series would bring out the best in 36-year-old Kohli.
"I've always said you're not out of form, you're out of runs," Warner added.
"The class and player that he is, he just knows how to flick that switch and turn his mindset to big series, and Border-Gavaskar trophy, he's always had a big series against us. I think that's what Australia would be fearing."
With the globalisation of cricket, the days when touring sides were largely unknown when they arrived on Australian soil are long gone.
Warner knows most of the touring team well from his spells in the Indian Premier League and enjoys a close friendship with Kohli.
"Since the IPL started, I think they've sort of grown towards playing alongside each other, loving each other, embracing each other's cultures," said Warner, who despite his caution predicted a 4-0 series win for Australia.
"But when you step on the field, that passion is still there, you still have that fire in the belly when you cross the line."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
