India vs Australia, 1st Test: Justin Langer says Aussies have 'plans in place' for Virat Kohli

Australian team's head coach Justin Langer has said the hosts have "plans in place" for Indian skipper Virat Kohli ahead of the first Test between the two sides in Adelaide.

India and Australia are set to renew one of the greatest sports rivalries on Thursday with the opening day of the much-awaited day-night Test, which will be India's first away pink ball Test.

Langer spoke to reporters in a media virtual conference recently, where he stated that Australia will focus on the skill part rather than trying to unsettle Kohli with verbal banters on the field.

Kohli, who has scored 1,604 runs against Australia in 19 Tests, has a great record on Australian soil. Having played 12 Tests in Australia, Kohli has scored 1,274 runs at an average of 55.39. Over the years, since his first appearance in the longest format Down Under in 2011, Kohli has recorded six centuries and three fifties. The last time India toured Down Under, which was in 2018-19, India defeated the hosts 2-1 in the Border Gavaskar series and Kohli had become the first captain from Asia to secure a Test series victory in Australia.

Langer is determined on stopping Kohli from scoring in his only Test in the Australian summer. "He is a great player and an equally great leader. I have got so much respect for him but we are going to be really well planned for him because we know how important he is for India as a leader and as a batsman. So, we will have our plans in place, " Langer was quoted by PTI, as saying during a recent virtual media interaction.

"The next trick is to execute them, hopefully, keep him out of the game with his runs. At the end of the day, that's where he is going to have the biggest impact. We've seen a lot of him now, and he has seen a lot of us too. What we talk about is how to get Virat out. He is such a great player; we don't talk about whether we taunt him or not. That's rubbish... We play on the skill, not on emotions, at least we try to. There is obviously emotion in the game, no doubt about that, we are going to control our emotions, " added Langer in the same virtual conference.

In the absence of Kohli, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is most likely to lead India in the remaining three Tests, which will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), and the Gabba in Brisbane. In the first practice match against Australia A, Rahane scored a century before scoring 4 and 38 in the second tour game.