Veteran selector challenges Virat Kohli to achieve big in final two Tests against Australia: 'My prediction before series stands...'

Virat Kohli's recent performance has been closely scrutinized following lackluster showings in the last two Tests against Australia. After a disappointing home season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the Indian batting maestro did manage to score a century in the second innings at Perth to provide some respite. However, his form took a dip once again in the following three innings, with two low scores in single digits and a highest score of just 11.

Kohli might get a bit of relief recalling his past record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He scored 316 runs in three Tests at an average of 52.66, with a century and two fifties to his name in six innings, which could be a big morale booster for him.

Former BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma has set a target for Kohli and said he hopes the Indian maestro will score a couple of centuries in the remaining matches.

"He is a player who has achieved so much for us, which raises our expectations. I am confident he will perform well. Let's hope he scores two more centuries in the next two matches. I had predicted before the series that he would score three centuries in Australia," Chetan Sharma told ANI.

Kohli's numbers have been disappointing, especially in the first innings. Starting from the Bangladesh series, he scored 73 runs in 8 innings with an average of 9.125. The sequence of scores is 6, 47, 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, and 3.

In nine Tests this year, he has made 376 runs at an average of 25.06, with just one century and fifty in 17 innings.

Kohli has failed to find a solution to his old problem of poking the ball outside off stump and eventually getting caught behind.

Meanwhile, if Kohli manages to get things right and score big at MCG, he will have a chance to displace Sachin Tendulkar - 449 runs to become India's leading run-getter at MCG in Tests. Currently, he is the third-highest run-getter, with Ajinkya Rahane (369 runs in three matches with two centuries) being second. Virat needs just 134 runs to reach the top spot.