Virat Kohli’s continuing struggle in Test cricket, particularly facing the deliveries outside the off-stump has become the main discussion once again after India’s 6-wicket loss to Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Moreover, the Indian fans became furious as the visitors were not able to the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in the 2024-25 season allowing the Aussies to win the 5-match test series in their backyard with 3-1.
Also, countless trolls are flooded on social media pointing to Virat’s similar fashion of caught-out dismissal behind the stumps. The former Indian captain was severely criticized that his ego had become bigger than the team’s success proving that he wasn’t ready to learn from his failures.
Batting on formidable pitch conditions at SCG, Kohli managed to score just 17 runs off 69 balls before falling into the trap of the Australian pacer Scott Boland before the lunch of the opening day in the fifth test. Moreover, this is the longest inning that the 36-year-old batted in tests without even striking a boundary. Although the veteran batter showed discipline at the start by leaving the deliveries outside the off stump, he lost his patience in the 32nd over of the innings.
Similarly, he scored just 6 runs off 12 balls in 2nd inning which further fueled the debate about his consistency and place in the national team’s test cricket squad.
Having registered one century throughout the BGT 2024-25 in Perth, Kohli’s 190 runs in 9 innings at a poor batting average of 23.75 and strike rate of 47.97 raises doubts about his ability to continue in the longest format.
Perth Test Century Not Enough to Cover Up Poor Scores
Except for his 81st international century in Perth, the right-handed batter has neither managed to score even a fifty nor reached 40s in any of the test innings.
Kohli who used to be the Boss of the Aussies during his vintage days recorded poor performances with the bat in 9 innings. His scores of 5, *100, 7,11, 3, 36,5, 17, and 6 points out his failure to lead the team’s batting lineup from the front as an experienced player.
Virat Kohli Throws Away His Wicket Again and Again Recklessly
Scott Boland who is an expert in bowling consistent lines and lengths succeeded in causing disturbances to Virat Kohli’s patience at the SCG by tempting him to strike the ball outside the off-stump line. As usual, the Indian batter took the chance and once again threw his wicket as the ball was edged to the bat resulting in the debutant Beau Webster taking the catch at third slip.
Similarly, in the 2nd innings, Virat rather than leaving a similar kind of delivery outside off stumps bowled by Boland, attempted the same shot, that was caught by Steve Smith at the slips.
Not Kohli! Indian Fans Run out of Patience Watching His Batting
Although Kohli starts every inning steadily, he gradually loses his patience which results in gifting his wicket to the opponent team bowlers. Watching the senior batter repeating the same mistake caused the Indian fans to run out of their patience.
Ego or Team’s Success: Which Was Chosen First by Kohli?
Despite similar kinds of dismissals that resulted in failures, Kohli has been following the ‘copy-paste shots’ which points out that he decided to go over his bigger ego rather than the team’s victory.
Indian supporters felt that it was time that he chose the exit door and opted himself out of the squad just like the captain Rohit Sharma did ahead of the Sydney Test. One of the fans wrote on social media that his ego is bigger than the team for repeating the same errors.
Out of 9 innings played, Kohli remained unbeaten only in the Perth Test, while eight of his dismissals were predictable as he was caught behind either by the wicketkeeper or slip fielder. Also, Scott Boland has dismissed the Indian ace batter in four innings, which is the most by any bowler in this series.
Also, this is the 23rd occasion that Virat Kohli has succumbed to pacers in this manner since 2021, which indicates a huge flaw in his batting technique. A batter who was celebrated as the G.O.A.T of cricket for his masterclass batting has turned out to be restless in recent times.
Fans Comments on Social Media to Troll Virat Kohli’s Performance in BGT 2024-25
These are a few reactions that have been trending on social media to troll Virat Kohli’s flop show with the bat in the BGT 2024-25
- Not Able to play against Australia so he is playing with the Australian crowds (as Kohli responded to the fans at SCG showing empty pockets imitating the Aussie cricketers’ ball-tampering scandal).
- Copy and Paste Dismissals.
- Ego is bigger than team’s cause
- And so on…
Kohli’s Future in Test Cricket: Final Opinion
Virat Kohli’s failure in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 is a wake-up call for him to secure his spot in test cricket as further scrutiny has been intensified over his form. The modern-day legendary batter needs to prove his consistency in the ODI Champions Trophy 2025 to be a part of India’s test squad for the forthcoming England tour in June 2025. Finally, it remains uncertain if it is the end of the path for Kohli’s test career or just a temporary downfall as the roars for his retirement in the longest format have become much louder than ever before
