'You don't write off champions like Virat Kohli'

The focus on Virat Kohli is getting closer and closer as the opening Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Perth approaches its start date -- November 22. And while many have doubted the batting icon's return to form from a lean phase in red-ball cricket since 2020, Australia's ace spinner Nathan Lyon believes that a champion player like Kohli is always a threat.

The 36-year-old Lyon, who has played 129 Tests and is Australia's leading off-spinner with 530 Test wickets, will once again play a key role in Australia's bowling attack dominated by fast bowlers that will try to put the out-of-form Kohli under pressure right from the start of the series.



Lyon says the respect Kohli has earned over the years with his performances can't be ignored just because he hasn't scored many runs lately.

"Look at his record out here," Lyon said. "Overall, look at his record. You don't write off champions. I've got nothing but respect for Virat," Lyon said, as quoted by the Australian Associated Press.

Since his first tour of Australia in 2011-12, Kohli has scored 1352 runs in 25 innings across 13 Tests at an average of 54.08, including 6 hundreds and 4 fifties.

However, Kohli has not been on the top of his game in the post-Covid era, with just two hundreds coming off his bat in the last 60 innings. Lately, in the Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand at home before flying to Australia, Kohli aggregated just 192 runs in 10 innings.



"I want to get him out. There's no point in hiding behind that, but it's challenging. It's been pretty amazing competing against him for so many times," Lyon said.

India were whitewashed by New Zealand 0-3 at home before flying out to Australia, but Lyon felt not much should be read into that because of India's record in Australia in recent times.

India won the series on their last two Test tours of Australia and are in possession of the BGT for the last decade.

"They're dangerous all the time. They're a side full of superstars. They've got so much experience, but talented youth as well, and you can never write off that," said Lyon.

"I was fascinated by that series against New Zealand, but we're expecting the best India that we've played against for a number of years now."