India T20s: Australia wary of rejuvenated Virat Kohli

Australian pacer Pat Cummins said on Sunday that Virat Kohli is a class player and he was going to return to form at some point of time.

Australia are going to start their tour of India with the first T20I in Mohali on Tuesday. The next match will take place in Nagpur on September 23, followed by the third and final T20I match in Hyderabad on September 25.

"I saw Virat Kohli, he scored a hundred, yeah he is a class player. He was always going to return to form at some point in time. He is going to be a challenge this next week," said Cummins in a pre-match press conference.

Kohli found his touch during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2022, in which he finished as the second-highest run scorer in the tournament and also scored his much anticipated 71st international ton.

Kohli scored 276 runs in five matches at an average of 92 with one century and two half-centuries.

Meanwhile, Cummins revealed the key to adjusting to Indian conditions.

"I think you need to adapt really quickly. You will have some days where the wicket is a bit slower, then cutters and those types of things are really important for the bowlers. So, everyone has played a lot in India and everyone understands it. It is a format you have to be up for, and if it does not work on the day, then you need to move on quickly from it," he said.

The star fast bowler then said batter Tim David is going to be an X-Factor.

The Singapore-born David, who has also represented the Singaporean national team in international cricket, has been picked by the Australian selectors for next month's T20 World Cup Down Under.

"Great to see Tim David getting his chance. He has been right there with the best in the world," the Australian Test captain said.

"Batting in the middle order in T20Is is difficult. Most of the run-scorers are at the top order, opening the batting. It is hard to be consistent when there is spin being bowled or there is end of the innings.

"I think he has been fantastic. If he gets his chance, we hope he continues doing what he did during domestic leagues worldwide," Cummins said of David.

David, who scored 186 runs in eight matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2022, earned a call-up to the Australian side on the back of his hard-hitting performances in T20 franchise leagues across the world.

The aggressive right-handed batsman has represented Singapore in 14 matches, scoring 558 runs at an average of 46.50 with four half-centuries.

Under ICC rules, David is eligible to wear the Aussie colours immediately.

During the last two years, David has scored 1,874 runs in 86 T20 matches at a stunning strike rate of 168.40.

Cummins also backed Aaron Finch, who recently retired from ODIs, to deliver for Australia once again as a T20 captain.

"I had chat with him, he is in a good place. He seems fantastic, it was only 12 months ago that he led us to a T20 World Cup victory so he is raring to go, and he will be a key player as he always is," the fast bowler said.

After the India series, West Indies will tour Australia to play two Tests and two T20Is. This will be followed by England's Australia tour with the two teams playing three T20Is from October 9 to October 14.

Australia will start their ICC T20 World Cup title defence against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 22.