India's star batter Virat Kohli has been under spotlight for his poor performances in recent times. Kohli who announced his retirement from the shortest format after India won the T20 Cup 2024, is now only on the field to play for ODI and Test matches.
Recently, during the first test match against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma and Co faced a disappointing 8-wicket defeat against NZ in Bengaluru. In the 1st innings, Kohli was out on 0 off nine balls, he did score good runs in the 2nd innings. Kohli scored 70 runs off 102 balls with strike rate of 68.63 in the 2nd innings. After scoring a 70, Kohli also reached the milestone of 9,000 runs in Test cricket, accomplishing this in 197 innings. He has a batting average of more than 48. His highest Test score is an unbeaten 254.
Now a day after New Zealand won the 1st test series, Michael Atherton, former England captain amde a statement on India's performance and also of Virat Kohli in the innings. On October 20, he wrote in The Times, “More than a hundred years separated these two performances. Yet India’s 46 all out in the first Test against New Zealand came only four years after their lowest-ever score, 36 all out against Australia in Adelaide. India’s batsmen plumbed the depths again before the previous embarrassment had slipped from memory”
He was referring to India's lowest test score in December 2020 when India faced Australia in a Test match in Adelaide, where they set a record for their lowest-ever score with 36 runs. Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India's top scorer was Mayank Agarwal, who managed nine runs off 40 balls, while Hanuma Vihari scored eight runs from 22 balls.
Speaking on Kohli, Atherton wrote in The Times, “Virat Kohli’s glittering CV now includes being a part of two of India’s three lowest-ever scores.”
The second Test match will kick off from October 24 to October 28 in Pune. The hosts are eyeing to clinch a win in the second Test and level the three-match series. Shubman Gill is expected to be seen in the 2nd Test.
While speaking during a pre-match presser, the Indian team assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed that batter Shubman Gill is fit enough to feature in the game. He looks so (available for the next game). He has a slight discomfort. He batted for a long in Bengaluru in the nets session. I think he will be fine for this Test." Reports have also stated that Rishabh Pant, who injured his knee during the second day of the first Test in Bengaluru, has been declared fit to play in the upcoming Pune Test.
(With inputs from agencies)
