New Delhi: Scoring a ton in the first Test against Australia played in Perth, star India batter Virat Kohli pleased his fans, announcing his return to form after a long wait. The ton followed a string of poor performances in Test cricket as Kohli struggled with the bat, departing on cheap scores. However, he soon returned to his low run of form as he faltered in the day-night pink-ball Test in Adelaide and also in the first innings of the ongoing third Test being played in Brisbane.
Kohli’s struggles against the deliveries outside the off-stump in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy have Australia great Allan Border wondering if the batting star has “just lost that edge”. It is noteworthy that Kohli has fallen to balls outside the off-stump four out of five times in the series so far, which has prompted comparisons with one of his similar slumps in England back in 2014.
On Day 3 of the third Test, Kohli was caught behind chasing a wide ball that he could have left alone, handing his prized wicket to Josh Hazlewood. “Today’s dismissal, that’s normally a delivery he would have left alone if he was in his best possible form,” Fox Cricket quoted Border as saying. “I’m not sure what’s going on with Virat mentally (and) whether he’s just lost that edge,” Border added. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is named after him and the Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar.
Michael Vaughan reasons Kohli’s failure
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan felt that the 36-year-old has paid the price for not leaving enough balls. “He’s a player who’s going out there (and) almost trying to get on top too soon,” Vaughan said. He highlighted that when Kohli plays at his best, he just leaves the ball when it “does a little bit more.”
“When he plays at his best, particularly in Australia and England when the ball does a little bit more, he just leaves the ball. Most of his dismissals in this series have been balls that he could have left. I don’t think he’s got a jaffa,” Vaughan added.
(With PTI inputs)
Virat Kohli endured another failed outing during the first Indian innings of the ongoing third Test against Australia at the Gabba. His struggles against the outside the off-stump deliveries continues. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
