Does Virat Kohli fit in India’s Test setup? Three ALARMING stats about Virat Kohli’s Test batting
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has failed to make significant contributions to India’s Test performances over the past few years.
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Virat Kohli (File Pic)
The GOAT, the legend, the King – Virat Kohli has earned humungous respect from his fans over the years. Undoubtedly, his passion and drive are one of the significant reasons why Test cricket has gained so much recent popularity in India.
While ‘Captain Kohli’ can be hailed for shaping India’s dominant approach in the past years, it is the batter Kohli who has not been delivering. Off-late, Virat Kohli has been putting on mediocre performances with the bat, with the most recent one being his failed outing in the World Test Championship Final against Australia.
A member of the prestigious ‘Fab Four’ alongside Steven Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root, Virat Kohli has not been doing justice to the standards he has set for himself.
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Three alarming stats about Kohli’s test batting
Here is a look at three alarming stats about Virat Kohli’s Test batting that indicate Virat Kohli’s Test future might be in jeopardy.
1. Test century drought
While some may say the century drought ended with Virat Kohli scoring his 28th Test century against Australia in Ahmedabad earlier this year, it is vital to note that his 27th came way back in 2019 against Bangladesh. Post that, he played in 23 tests with only five 50+ scores and scored zero centuries.
In his recent outing against Australia in the World Test Championship Final, he was dismissed for 14 runs in his first innings and was one shy from his fifty in the second. His last overseas test century came 5 years ago against Australia in Perth where he smashed a ton in the first innings.
As much as this century drought would affect Virat Kohli, it is hurting India and their chances to get their hands in that Test Mace immensely.
2. Losing the ‘fab four’ battle
In an interesting stat floating on Twitter, it was revealed that in comparison to his other number 4 counterparts, Smith, Root, and Williamson, Kohli’s average has dropped immensely in the 2021-23 WTC cycle.
While his opponents, excluding Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, at number 4, have managed an average of 61.63, his average against them is down to a staggering 31.96.
In the century race, Virat Kohli stands at number three with 28 centuries, the same as Kane Williamson, with Smith leading the standings with 31 tons and Joe Root with 29 to his name. Steve Smith’s recent match-winning century came in the WTC Final against India, where his counterpart, Virat Kohli, failed to perform.
3. Declining average
Virat Kohli’s Test average is on the decline for a while now. The man who was once hailed for holding on to that 50+ average, now averages below 49. While it may not seem like a major decline to some, it is a setback to Virat Kohli’s own standards.
Stats show that Kohli has the lowest batting average among Indians in overseas tests since 2019. He averages a mere 27.56 in comparison to Rohit Sharma’s 41.27, Rahane’s 34.64, and Rishabh Pant’s 37.33.
It is no news that Virat Kohli has always been the point of difference for India, but his recent form is a major concern. With declining form and him nearing the age of 35 this year, a lot needs to be done about the slump. The squad for the Windies series in July will be a major indication of the management’s thought process and what things are going to be like for Team India.
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