Adam Zampa still classes Virat Kohli as the toughest man in world cricket to bowl to, despite claiming his wicket six times in his international career.
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Zampa has touched down in Rajkot for Friday's second ODI against India as the talk of the town after knocking over Kohli again earlier this week.
The legspinner was asked about his record against the Indian megastar five times during a 10-minute media conference on Thursday for local media.
Kohli's own batting is also a hot topic, with the Indian megastar under pressure to move back up to No.3 with heavy criticism of his drop down to No.4.
Zampa took his wicket three times on last year's tour across the Twenty20 and one-day series, before getting him out with a spectacular caught-and-bowled on Tuesday in the opening one-dayer in Mumbai.
But the Australian tweaker expects a far-tougher task against the hosts' captain in India's must-win match on Friday, given he will likely arrive with a point to prove.
"He's one of the toughest guys I've ever had to bowl to, particularly after game one," Zampa said.
"Game two coming up tomorrow, I think he will be even more switched on.
"We basically just find that Virat finds legspinners hard to line up early in his innings, to be honest.
"I think it's important to try and have a game plan to him, so we figured out for that last game that it would be good to start with legspin to him.
"I've got him out four times in the last year so it's nice to have that confidence to bowl to him at the start of his innings."
Zampa's record of dismissing Kohli four times in ODI cricket and twice in T20s is at odds with the Indian batsman's usual lofty standards.
Kohli generally plays spin well, and has only been out to tweakers 55 times in his 243-match ODI career.
But the Aussie said the key was not losing your cool against the world's best batsman, given he has hit him for 126 runs from the 97 balls he's bowled at him.
"It's got to be an attacking approach," Zampa said.
"If you're on the back foot and have a defensive mindset, then that's when he can get on top of you.
"You probably know you're going to get hit for boundaries but it can really get worse if you make that affect you.
"I'm not the most skilful legspinner in the world, that's for sure. Guys like Kuldeep Yadav and Rashid Khan are guys that are really hard to pick.
"One of the most important things I have always tried to do is have strong character."
Australian Associated Press
