Matthew Hayden supports Kohli to shine in Boxing Day Test, gives advice to 'Sachin Tendulkar'

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has called on Virat Kohli to avoid the temptation of hitting the ball outside the off-stump and cited the example of one of the finest innings played by Sachin Tendulkar during the 2003-04 Border Gavaskar Trophy. . Barring Kohli's unbeaten century in the second innings of the first Test in Perth, the 36-year-old has struggled with the bat and has been consistently caught outside the off-stump. Hayden believes the track at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, venue of the Boxing Day Test, will be suitable for the batsmen and if he can resist the urge to slash the ball outside the off-stump, he will be looking to get back into form. Support great players.

“There could have been great wins, there could have been defeats, there could have been spinning situations – I mean, you can list a hundred different areas where Virat Kohli would have batted during his illustrious career. But in Melbourne, He will have a good batting track,” Hayden told Star Sports. He needs to find a way to stay at the crease. He has to resist flashing outside the off-stump.”

Hayden recalled one of the greatest Test innings played by Sachin when the aggressive Australian bowling attack of Brett Lee, Andy Bichel and Jason Gillespie targeted the same areas in the hope of finding the outside edge. What followed was an incredible display of resilience as the 'Master Blaster' scored 241 not out, hitting 33 fours in the innings but none of them coming in the cover region.

“And my suggestion is – he gets into the line of the ball a bit more and wants to play a bit more down the ground… I know he's a brilliant cover driver, but so was Sachin Tendulkar, and he used it a bit more. Put it away for a while. I was sitting in the lane and thinking, you know what, this is brilliant, stubborn batting. I couldn't seem to catch that day, and yet I felt like Feeling like I was in the whole series Was in the game.

“Sachin removed cover drives, worked his way through the innings, struck beautifully on his feet, took spin and addressed areas of concern. He put a big cross on them and said, 'Not on my watch today.' “Virat Kohli has that personality and I am sure we will see it in Melbourne,” he said.

The ongoing BGT is all set for a blockbuster finale with India and Australia tied at 1-1. India's top order has struggled mightily in the second and third Tests and the team will have to rely heavily on Kohli's experience and talent if it wants to win the series in Australia for the third consecutive time.