Melbourne, Batting coach Graeme Hick on Saturday said Australia need to learn from India skipper Virat Kohli on how to bat long in Test matches after their abject surrender in both innings left them on the brink of defeat in the third Test here.
After the hosts were skittled out for a paltry 151 in 66.5 overs on day three, Hick said he stressed on the need to develop awareness of the game and gave the example of Kohli’s first innings 204-ball 82-run knock.
“We spoke about how Kohli went about it. We knew (Cheteshwar) Pujara, even Kohli, one of the most explosive batters, got to 20 off 25, 26 balls, then the rest of his innings took whatever it was,” Hick said on SEN Radio on Saturday.
“For the best player in the world to change his innings and play like that, if you can’t be on the same field as him and watch him and learn from what he is doing, then you are in the wrong space.
“There are certainly things our players can take out of that. It takes a lot of discipline, a lot of patience and, on top of that, you have got to bat with intent,” he added.
Hick added that it was disappointing to see his hard work not being replicated on the field.
“It’s disappointing as a head coach. You feel if you are putting the work in and doing the right things, over a period of time, the players learn. Unfortunately, it’s not the easiest thing to learn out in the middle at the MCG of the Boxing Day Test match,” said the former England batsman.
“You have got to learn quickly in international cricket these days because you don’t get a lot of time to remedy what you might feel is wrong.”
Australia were 258/8 in their second essay with pacer Pat Cummins top-scoring for the hosts with an unbeaten 61.
The home team require another 141 runs with two wickets remaining to win the Test.
