'I Think Virat Will...': Aaron Finch On Potential Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Santner Battle
Virat Kohli scored 95 vs New Zealand at Dharamshala [AP Photo]
In what could be decisive to the outcome of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final clash between India and New Zealand, Virat Kohli's play against Mitchell Santner will be essential for the respective team's success at Wankhede today.
Kohli has been top-form this World Cup, scoring 594 runs, including a 95 against Black Caps at Dharamshala, where India prevailed. However, with Kohli's recent troubles against left-arm spin, Santner becomes the biggest threat, given his accurate and shrewd bowling.
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch believes that the former Indian captain will have his plans going into the semis against Santner.
Speaking on Star Sports, the T20 World Cup-winning skipper explained how Kohli could tackle Santner and look to play him on the back foot.
Here's what Finch said
"I think Virat will have a plan, no doubt. Batting at the Wankhede Stadium will assist him because there is not a huge amount of turn. There is consistent bounce and he likes pace on the ball. I think it will be really important for him to be able to play Santner off the back foot because he mixes his pace up so well."
"He is someone who can be quite hard to knock down the ground, either long-on or long-off, for singles. That comes with a bit of risk, with a short cover or a short midwicket. So I think he will like to play off the back foot and try and use that point gap a bit more than the ones straight down the ground."
Former Indian Sunil Gavaskar also pinpointed the battle between Kohli and Santner to be pivotal in the race to which team qualifies for the World Cup final.
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