It was again a bad day for Team India, the batting order again collapsed but Virat Kohli’s form has been a big matter of concern now. On Day 2 of second Test against New Zealand, Virat Kohli was dismissed by Mitchell Santner on a full toss, he gave away his wicket at the mere score of 1. In the first Test against New Zealand Virat kohli fell for a duck in the first innings later on he redeemed himself with a knock of 70 runs but his recent inconsistency in scoring runs is where the main problem lies.
WATCH- Virat Kohli’s Unfortunate Dismissal
THE Great Virat Kohli can't even play a full toss 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XNomySBHqt
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Team India had lost Shubman Gill’s wicket after he scored 30 runs, that’s when Kohli came in to bat and since the very start he was seen in an uncomfortable position. Just after playing 9 balls Virat Kohli couldn’t tackle a simple full toss by Mitchell Santner and ball straight away hit the stumps.
Also Read: IND Vs NZ, 2nd Test: New Zealand’s Dominant Spin Attack Puts Team India On Backfoot
Domestic Cricket: A Way To Revive Virat Kohli’s Test Form
Virat Kohli last played domestic cricket in November 2012 that was a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, after that Kohli hasn’t been seen in the domestic arena.
Virat Kohli’s Inconsistency
In Test format, Virat Kohli has been very inconsistent, he has registered scores of 1,0,70, 47, 29*, 6, 17, 46, 12, 38, 76, 121, 76, and 14 (from new to old). His last century came against West Indies, where he played a knock of 121 runs (20 July 2023).
How Will Playing Domestic Cricket Benefit Virat Kohli?
It is very important for Kohli to play domestic cricket as this would help him get back his form. The greatest example of this is Washington Sundar who scored 152 runs in Ranji Trophy match and took 6 wickets as well, his stellar performance paved his way into India’s Test team. He then went on to bag 7 wickets in 2nd Test against New Zealand. For Virat Kohli also, playing domestic cricket even if it is for some matches would be very helpful and revive his form.
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Another important benefit of playing would be that if Kohli starts playing domestic cricket again, he would be able to read the domestic conditions more easily and can go on playing big in international matches. Virat Kohli has known to be one of the best Test batters and a little change in approach can do wonders for him.
Is Spin Troubling Kohli?
It is very clear that Virat Kohli has struggled against spinners in Asia since 2021. He has scored 606 runs and dismissed 21 times. His average remained 28.85 with a strike rate of 49.67. Another shocker that comes with Kohli’s dip in form in Tests is that in the latest ICC Test rankings, Rishabh Pant jumped up the chart leaving him behind.
In Tests Virat Kohli has scored 9017 runs in 116 matches, this includes 29 centuries and 31 half-centuries. His average remains 48.74 and strike rate- 55.83.
