Allan Border, the Australian cricket legend, has expressed concern over Virat Kohli’s recent struggles with the bat, suggesting that the Indian number four may have lost his edge. Border pointed out that Kohli has been repeatedly playing deliveries he would typically leave, which has raised questions about whether it’s a technical or mental issue affecting his game.
Kohli’s latest dismissal, for just 3 runs off 16 balls, came when he chased a wide ball outside his off-stump from Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood. His departure left India in deep trouble at 22/3, a situation that soon worsened to 44/4, as India chased down an imposing target of 445 runs in the third Test at The Gabba. This was Kohli’s second dismissal in consecutive innings in which he chased wide deliveries—something that has become a recurring theme in his recent form.
Allan Border weighed in on the issue, noting that this was typically the kind of delivery Kohli would have left alone if he were in his prime. Border stated, “I’m not sure what’s going on with Virat mentally and whether he’s just lost that edge,” acknowledging that such dismissals had become too frequent for a player of Kohli’s calibre.
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Former England captain Michael Vaughan echoed similar concerns, stating that Kohli hasn’t been dismissed by an unplayable delivery, or a ‘jaffa,’ in the series. Vaughan suggested that Kohli’s recent dismissals have been due to balls he could have easily left.
“He’s almost trying to get on top too soon,” Michael Vaughan observed, highlighting that when Kohli is at his best, especially in challenging conditions like Australia and England, he is more selective and patient with his shot choices.
Another challenge for Kohli has been the pressure of facing the new ball early in the innings. While he scored a brilliant century in the second innings of the Perth Test, it was the only instance where he didn’t have to contend with the fresh Australian attack.
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The lack of consistent contributions from openers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul has added pressure on Kohli and his middle-order partner, Rohit Sharma, to weather the storm early on. By the end of day three in Brisbane, India found themselves struggling at 51/4, with both Rohit and Rahul fighting to avoid the follow-on.
