Former India coach and all-rounder Ravi Shastri believes that while Joe Root and Kane Williamson have stood out this year in Test cricket, the other two members of the ‘Fab Four’ — Virat Kohli and Steve Smith — remain “dangerous because they are hungry” as they haven’t scored big consistently of late.
“I think they (Kohli and Smith) would have slipped down the ranks on current form because…you’ve got the likes of Root taking off, there’s Williamson doing well, Harry Brook has come onto the scene…There are a lot of other young players pushing, but these are class players,” Shastri said on the recent episode of The ICC Review.
England’s Root has had a fabulous 2024, scoring 1556 runs in 17 matches at an average of 55.77, including six centuries. Former New Zealand captain Williamson, too, has scored over a thousand runs this year, with his tally standing at 1013 runs at an average of 59.58, including four centuries.
“In a situation like this, you know they (Kohli and Smith) will be dangerous because they’ll be hungry,” reckoned Shastri.
Both Kohli and Smith have shown signs of returning to form in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy, where they have hit a hundred each. But their overall Test numbers this year are nowhere near Root and Williamson’s.
Kohli has scored 376 runs so far in 9 matches, averaging 25.06. Smith has made 337 runs in 8 matches at an average of 28.08.
“What’s needed you saw from Smith. It might have been a struggle early on (during his century knock in Brisbane) but he was prepared to play the waiting game and be disciplined,” said Shastri.
“I think the same with Virat. If Virat gets over that first 30-40 minutes with serious application and discipline, I don’t think he’s (out of form), none of these guys are out of form.”
Kohli began the tour of Australia with a century (100 not out) in the second innings of the opening Test in Perth, which played a key role in India’s 295-run victory. However, his other four knocks read 5, 7, 11, 3.
Kohli and Smith will take guard in one more Test before the end of the year, when India and Australia meet in the Boxing Date Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
