Aakash Chopra recently emphasized Virat Kohli’s dip in Test form following India’s surprising home series loss to New Zealand, marking the first such defeat on home soil. Kohli, renowned for his consistency, has shown glimpses of his classic style but hasn’t fully met his high standards in recent outings.

Across his four innings against New Zealand, the former Indian skipper has scored a modest 88 runs, with his highest score—a 70—coming in the second innings of the opening Test in Bengaluru. Aakash Chopra examined Kohli’s Test performances over the last five years and highlighted his struggle for consistency.

In this period, Kohli has only two centuries in Test cricket, both in 2023. However, Chopra pointed out that one of these centuries, made against Australia on a flat pitch in Ahmedabad, might not hold the same weight given the favourable batting conditions.

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Addressing Kohli’s stats further, Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “Is Virat Kohli’s Test form a concern? Absolutely. He’s scored just two centuries in the past five years. In 2020, he only played six innings and averaged 19. In 2021, despite playing 19 innings, he averaged just 28 without a century. The trend continued in 2022, with an average of 26 across 11 innings, also without a century.”

He acknowledged Virat Kohli’s slight resurgence in 2023 with two centuries, noting, however, that one was on a placid surface in Ahmedabad, a context that tempers its significance.

Virat Kohli’s Test form in 2023 remains concerning, averaging just 27.22 across 10 innings, with a lone half-century to his name. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia fast approaching, Kohli’s performance is a central worry for the Indian side. Despite his struggles, Kohli has an impressive Test record in Australia, averaging 54.08, where his aggressive approach often unsettles the hosts.

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India still has one Test left in the series against New Zealand and a solid performance there could be the confidence booster Kohli needs ahead of the high-stakes series in Australia. For both the player and team, a return to form in this final match could make all the difference as they look to regain momentum and prepare for one of their toughest challenges abroad.