Ind vs Aus 4th Test: Ravi Shastri hopeful Virat Kohli will roar again at MCG if the ‘King’ does THIS

With the World Test Championship 2025 finals spot on a bet and South Africa already registering its name as one of the finalists, former India coach Ravi Shastri wants Virat Kohli to ‘forget everything else’ ahead of the final innings of the Melbourne Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Suggesting Virat Kohli to bat just like he did in the first essay, Ravi Shastri made his point clear the Indian 'king' will roar once again when he realises that those criticising him can go to hell. He even invoked his famous Hindi one-liner ‘bhaad mein gaya’.

In the first innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Kohli scored 36 off 86 deliveries and appeared he was batting with almost 90 percent control. Kohli even left deliveries outside off and flicked everything on his body.

But after the tragic episode of Yashasvi Jaiswal's run out, Kohli lost his focus for a moment and gave his wicket to Scott Boland following he edged a length delivery.

“My advice would be that you should bat exactly how you batted in the first innings," News18 quoted Shastri as saying on Star Sports.

“Forget everything else. Jo bhi log keh rahe hai vo bhuul jaao, vo bhaad mein gaya (Whatever people are saying, forget it, that can go to hell). Bat how you have been doing because your purple patch will come. Discipline is discipline. Leave the balls outside off, make Australia bowl to your body, show patience, show discipline. A lot of runs will come. I am saying Virat Kohli will score a ton of runs in the next two to three years if he takes this approach," he added.

Shastri positive Kohli will fight back:

Expressing his views on the ICC Review, Shastri noted that players like Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are class players, adding they may be out of form but are hungry.

“I think they (Kohli and Smith) will have slipped down the ranks on current form because you know you’ve got the likes of Root taking off, there’s Williamson doing well, Harry Brook has come onto the scene, you know there are a lot of other young players pushing but these are class players," Shastri said.

“In a situation like this, you know they’ll be dangerous because they’ll be hungry," he added.

According to Shastri Kohli’s form isn’t the issue, but he needs to survive the critical early phase of his innings.

“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," he added.

In the ongoing Boxing Day Test at MCG, Australia lead by 333 runs at DAY 4 Stumps.