India v Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli’s average has fallen below 50 for the first time since 2017 as the star-batter was released cheaply in both innings of the pink ball Test in Bengaluru.
Virat Kohli managed just 36 runs in the 2 innings of the pink ball test in Bengaluru (AP Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Virat Kohli was dismissed for 13, 23 in the pink ball test
- Kohli came out on low held deliveries in both innings
- Kohli’s average has dropped below 50 after a string of low scores
The Bengaluru crowd fell silent as Virat Kohli was sacked for the second time in as many days by a delivery that stayed low on a pitch that had seen uneven impact during the pink ball test against Sri Lanka. Kohli looked frustrated after missing an unremarkable delivery from Pravin Jayawickrama on Day 2 of the 2nd Test. He took a long look at the pitch before shaking his head and slowly walking back to the pavilion.
Remarkably, Virat Kohll exited on Saturday after catching a solid start in another low held delivery from off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva. The former captain batted at 23 from his LBW in the first innings. Kohli looked surprised on Saturday and could hardly believe his luck.
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On Sunday, Kohli looked proactive as the ball started doing things on a spicy field that also rebounded a bit unevenly. Kohli went in the middle, greeted by loud cheers from the Bengaluru crowd, after a 55-run standoff between captain Rohit Sharma and Hanuma VIhari.
While crouching low to accommodate the low jump, the star-batter played on the backfoot to a play that Jayawickrama kept low.
KOHLI’S AVERAGE RETURN UNDER 50
The two unfortunate sackings saw Virat Kohli’s Test cricket average slip below 50 for the first time since 2017. Kohli managed 8,043 runs in 101 tests with an average of 49.95. Kohli needed 43 runs in the 2nd Test to ensure his Test Average stayed above fifty, but the skipper only managed 36 runs.
Kohli failed to hit a major in Mohali last week in his 100th Test as the former captain fell for 45 in India’s only innings.
While Kohli has not reached an international hundred since November 2019, his form in Test cricket has been on a lean streak since early 2020. During that period, he averaged just 28.03 in 17 tests.
Kohli only managed 74 runs in 3 tests in 2020 and 536 runs in 11 tests in 2021 at 28:21. Kohli has contested 3 Tests so far in 2022 and only managed 189 runs, including 150.
