Smith says Aussies want Kohli 'angry'

Australia skipper Steve Smith has put the heat on India counterpart Virat Kohli, declaring the visiting side will look to target the blue-chip batsman and make him “a little bit angry” during the coming four-Test series.

Kohli is arguably the world’s most in-form batsman and hammered 655 runs at 109.16 during India’s recent 4-0 series victory against England.

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The 28-year-old has lifted his Test average to 50.10 and is second – behind Smith – on the ICC Test batting rankings.

While Australia is in the middle of a three-Test series against Pakistan, Smith moved to land an early psychological blow on the India skipper before the first Test in Pune, starting on February 23.

"He is a world-class player and he has, obviously, led the Indian team incredibly well over the last 18 months or so," Smith said on ABC Grandstand today.

"They have won a lot of games in that time and I think they have played a lot of cricket at home in that time as well. I think he has improved a lot body-language wise.

“He is a very emotional character out on the field, but I think he has improved a lot there.

"I guess for us as a team it's trying to get him out of the strong emotional state and try and make him, I guess, a little bit angry and ruffle his feathers and things like that.

“I think if you can get him in that state then the Indian team can possibly be a little bit vulnerable.”

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Kohli has thrived since taking the captaincy reins from MS Dhoni in 2014 and has registered 15 tons and 14 half-centuries from 53 Tests.

When he hammered 235 in the fourth Test against England in Mumbai, he become only the fifth player after Michael Clarke, Brendon McCullum, Ricky Ponting and Don Bradman to record three double-centuries in a calendar year. 

The emotion-charged Kohli averages 60.76 against Australia and has been involved in several heated on-field incidents in previous years.

India sits atop the Test rankings after going 17 matches at undefeated, with Kohli and the world’s pre-eminent allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin central to their success.

Australia is currently second on the Test rankings following their first Test victory over Pakistan in Brisbane earlier this month, but they have not triumphed on Indian soil since their landmark 2-1 victory in 2004.

In fact, India has not lost a series at home since 2012-13, when they were beaten by Alastair Cook’s England, underlining the enormity of the task facing Australia.

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Australia was crushed 3-0 in Sri Lanka earlier this year before losing their home series against South Africa 2-1.

But an opportunity exists for the new-look Test outfit to defy all the odds and back up their third Test win over South Africa and good form against Pakistan.

"We go there in February and, no doubt, it's going to be an incredibly difficult tour – going to India always is,” Smith said.

“Four Tests there, it's a great opportunity for this team, where we are going to be the underdogs going there.

"It would be fantastic to win a series there and we are going to have to make sure our processes are in order and we play a lot better than we have done in subcontinent conditions.”

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