Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has made a bold claim that under-fire Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli is trying to be antagonistic in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Virat Kohli has not been able to live up to the expectations since the Perth Test and has been going through a rough patch. The 37-year-old has been committing the same mistake this series to get dismissed – edging the ball outside off-stump to the wicketkeeper and slip cordon.
Virat Kohli’s current form a space for criticism and concern amongst the cricketing world
Since the start of 2020, Virat Kohli has scored 1961 runs in 64 innings at 32.14, with only three centuries and nine fifties. Among the Fab Four, Virat Kohli ranks the lowest in terms of average, with Kane Williamson leading the overall chart of cricketers who have at least batted in 25 innings since 2020. Moreover, among all the players who batted for India in the top 7 during this period, Virat Kohli finds his name only ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, both of whom were dropped in 2023 following a lean run of form.
The 36-year-old Virat Kohli’s Test average has plunged to an eight-year low of 47.72. In 2024, Virat Kohli averages 26.64 after 16 innings, his lowest for any calendar year where he has appeared in at least 10 innings. He has only aggregated three Test hundreds since 2020. The former India captain fell for scores of 7 and 11 in Adelaide, caught behind on both occasions.
Virat Kohli faced a lot of criticism in the lead-up to the tour of Australia, following a lean run of form, including the performance against New Zealand at home, Australia great Ricky Ponting had pointed out that the 36-year-old scored only two centuries in the last five years, as he questioned if any other top-order batter would have survived a similar run in international cricket.
Virat Kohli has scored 126 runs in five innings in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He began the series with five in the first innings in Perth and followed it up with an unbeaten 100 in the second innings. The 36-year-old was dismissed for seven and 11 in Adelaide and managed only three in the first innings of The Gabba Test. The latest instance also saw him being dismissed while chasing a ball outside off stump.
The Indian maestro showcased his brilliance with a century in the second innings at Perth but faltered in the subsequent three innings, repeatedly falling to the same error—chasing deliveries outside the off-stump and getting caught behind. Ravi Shastri noted that while Williamson and Root have enjoyed a stellar run in 2024, with six and four Test centuries respectively, Virat Kohli and Smith have managed just one each, both in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Root is leading the scoring charts amongst the Fab Four this year with 1556 runs in 17 Tests at an average of 55.57. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson has the best test average – 59.58 among the four superstars, scoring 1013 runs. Steve Smith is at the bottom and scored just 337 runs but still has a better average (28.08) than Kohli, who has managed only 25.06 at an average of 25.06.
Virat Kohli has not been able to live up to the expectations since the Perth Test and has been going through a rough patch. The 37-year-old has been committing the same mistake this series to get dismissed – edging the ball outside off-stump to the wicketkeeper and slip cordon.
Virat Kohli’s decline in red-ball cricket was even more glaring. The batting maestro could muster only 417 runs in 2024, averaging a mere 24.52. His persistent vulnerability outside the off-stump – frequently edging deliveries to the slip cordon or wicketkeeper – proved to be his undoing, especially during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Aaron Finch, who has played Virat Kohli at RCB in the past, said that the 36-year-old is trying to pick a fight to get the best out of himself.
Aaron Finch’s interesting take on Virat Kohli’s mental state in BGT 2024-25
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch felt ace batter Virat Kohli is almost intentionally looking to get involved in confrontations to rediscover his best batting form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25). Virat Kohli has endured a dismal run of form in Tests, averaging under 16 in the three home Tests against New Zealand coming into the Australia series.
However, after scoring a brilliant second-innings century in the series opener at Perth, the 36-year-old has battled for runs in the next three outings. Virat Kohli is averaging under 28 thus far in the series as India trail 1-2 with one Test remaining.
The veteran batter was also involved in a physical confrontation with Aussie debutant Sam Konstas during the first innings of the fourth Test at Melbourne. Virat Kohli shoulder barged Konstas as the youngster was taking down the Indian bowlers en-route to his sensational 65-ball 60.
Talking about Kohli’s mental state as he looks to overcome his dry run, Finch said on the Around the Wicket Podcast :
“Virat’s someone who’s always thrived on pressure and he’s thrived when his back is against the wall. It just feels like at this stage, he is trying to put his own back against the wall. He’s trying to be antagonistic, he’s trying to almost pick a fight because that’s when he plays when he feels like someone’s coming at him. That’s when he puts all his skills on show.”
He added:
“It just feels like he’s pushing other people to make him feel like that and we’ve not seen the best of him in this series yet. He looked beautiful in the first innings at Melbourne and looked like he wasn’t going to get out but Australia have bowled well.”