For Australia, Virat Kohli is similar to Steve Smith: Pat Cummins.
Virat Kohli has scored five Test centuries in Australia so far in his career (AP Photo)
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins clarified his comments that made news around the world a few weeks back regarding Team India captain Virat Kohli.
A few weeks back, in an on-stage interview with Bruce McAvaney at the launch of Channel Seven's cricket coverage in Sydney, Cummins had said: "My brave, bold prediction; I'd say I think Virat Kohli is not going to get a hundred and we're going to knock them off over here".
But on Thursday, Cummins clarified that he didn't intend to throw an open challenge or make any bold prediction regarding Kohli when India tour Down Under later this year.
"I was surprised by the traction the comments I made about Virat got. I was almost trying to do the opposite to the way they were perceived. I was trying to pay him a huge compliment and say that my big wish list for the summer as he doesn't score a hundred.
"He's obviously so important to the team and is such a gun batsman, so him not scoring runs would go a long way to helping us win. But I certainly didn't mean to say he's no good because I couldn't hold him in higher regard," Cummins told cricket.com.au.
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins clarified his comments that made news around the world a few weeks back regarding Team India captain Virat Kohli.
A few weeks back, in an on-stage interview with Bruce McAvaney at the launch of Channel Seven's cricket coverage in Sydney, Cummins had said: "My brave, bold prediction; I'd say I think Virat Kohli is not going to get a hundred and we're going to knock them off over here".
But on Thursday, Cummins clarified that he didn't intend to throw an open challenge or make any bold prediction regarding Kohli when India tour Down Under later this year.
"I was surprised by the traction the comments I made about Virat got. I was almost trying to do the opposite to the way they were perceived. I was trying to pay him a huge compliment and say that my big wish list for the summer as he doesn't score a hundred.
"He's obviously so important to the team and is such a gun batsman, so him not scoring runs would go a long way to helping us win. But I certainly didn't mean to say he's no good because I couldn't hold him in higher regard," Cummins told cricket.com.au.
Steve Smith scored three centuries during Australia's last tour of India
He went onto add that Kohli is similar to Steve Smith of Australia and them kind of use the same tactic to get into a contest with opposition bowlers and bring the best out in him.
"He's similar to Steve Smith for us, he really gets himself into the contest and tries to find a way to fire up the bowlers. They seem to use that as a way to get the best out of themselves and I think that feeds off into the other players in the team as well," Cummins said.
Cummins' prediction had set social media abuzz and was perceived as the first blow before the high-intensity Test series that starts on November with a three-match T20I series, followed by four Tests and three ODIs. But, the New South Wales seamer said that it was a casual chat and his comments were more of a 'wish-list' stuff than a challenge.
Pat Cummins said that his prediction for Virat Kohli was more wishful than a statement
"Bruce McAvaney just asked me what my big prediction was that I'd like to see for the summer. And I just basically said 'I'd love to see Virat Kohli not make a hundred because he's a really good player'.
"The chances are he's going to score a hundred against us again sometime and we'll be doing everything in our power to try and stop that.
"It was just off the cuff. It was a pretty relaxed interview to say I'd love for him not to score runs like I'd love any international player to not score runs against us."
This post is from https://www.indiatoday.in
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