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Pressure on India, Kohli: Hazlewood

Australia hoping Virat Kohli's lean run of form continues in fourth Test in Dharamsala

As Australia and India prepare for the winner-takes-all fourth Test in Dharamsala starting Saturday, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood says the pressure is squarely on the hosts and their captain Virat Kohli.



Australia enter the Qantas Tour of India finale needing only to draw the fixture to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy while nothing short of victory will suffice for Kohli’s charges.

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"The pressure is firmly on them," Hazlewood said in Dharamsala on Thursday.

"We can draw it but we obviously want to win it, win 2-1 and win a series in India which rarely happens."

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While the home side are under the pump, Hazlewood says Kohli might be feeling the pinch a touch more as captain.

Kohli has scored just 46 runs in five innings this series, a remarkable turnaround given his prolific summer against New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, where he scored a double century against all three.

The India skipper’s form slump and the feats of Ranchi double-century maker Cheteshwar Puajara has seen Kohli fall behind India’s No.3 as the country’s best Test batsman.

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But Hazlewood and his teammates are aware the prodigious right-hander is only one innings away from posting a huge score.

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"For every time he doesn’t get runs he’s closer to that big knock," Hazlewood said. "Being a class player it’s going to be at some stage.

"Hopefully, it’s not this next game."

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After losing the first Test in Pune, India bounced back to level the series in Bengaluru and were in the box seat to win in Ranchi before the Australians dug in to hold on for a stoic draw.

While the first two Tests ended within three and four days respectively, the third Test strip at the JSCA Stadium was a bowler’s graveyard where only 25 wickets fell across five full days.

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The Dharamsala deck two days out from the first ball wouldn’t look out of place at the Sydney Cricket Ground; greyish colour, a few cracks and a bit of grass.

And Hazlewood doesn’t expect another stalemate.

"I think the wicket will determine a result,” he said.

"They need to win so the wicket they serve up will bring a result into the game."