File photo of Virat Kohli.© AFP
Former captain Kapil Dev feels it is up to stalwart Virat Kohli how fast he can bounce back from his lean patch of form as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and World Test Championship (WTC) continues to be on line for India. The ‘Chase Master,’ who thrived on his hunger to score runs, has looked out of his everlasting appetite in 2024. In Test cricket, there have been glimpses of Virat showcasing his picture-perfect technique but eventually being overshadowed by the weight of his failures.
In 2024, Virat has scored 373 runs in the Test format, averaging just 26.64 with one fifty and a century to his name. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he celebrated his 81st international century in Perth, but all the momentum vanished in thin air when the series moved to Adelaide as he was dismissed at paltry scores of 7 and 11.
“Virat Kohli is one of the best cricketers we have seen in our country. If you put top four batsmen, he will be there. If he is going through a rough time, it is only up to him how fast he can bounce back,” Kapil told reporters on Monday while speaking about Virat.
The 36-year-old’s underwhelming form has been evident across all formats. In 21 matches this year, Virat has 611 runs to his name, averaging 22.62 with a sole century and two fifties.
There were only three instances when Virat’s magic left fans mesmerised. His match-saving 76 against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final and 70 in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand.
The third instance was a week ago when he set the Perth Test strip on fire with an unbeaten 100 to take the Test completely out of Australia’s grasp.
With the BGT series perfectly poised at 1-1, the action will move to Australia’s fortress in Brisbane beginning on Saturday.
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