In the ongoing first of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Virat Kohli didn’t enjoy a great time in the middle as he could collect only six runs in the first innings and 17 more in the second. His knock of 17 runs after being set in the middle was a little questionable.
In the first innings, he was on six off five deliveries when he chased the fourth stump line ball and got the outside edge of his blade into the hands of the wicketkeeper. In the second innings, Virat Kohli looked much more composed for his 17 runs before he was adjusted leg before the stumps.
This has now brought his red-ball average down to 48. When it comes to batting at home, the 35-year-old has smashed 4167 Test runs in 51 games at an average of 58.69 with a strike rate of nearly 60 with the help of 14 centuries and 12 fifties with a best score of unbeaten 254 runs.
Sanjay Manjrekar compares Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in shocking aspect
The former Indian batter, Sanjay Manjrekar, has displayed the selflessness of the former Indian captain, where he, despite getting hit on the pads, decided to keep the reviews intact for his teammates during future tight calls.
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Virat Kohli had an inside edge into the blade before the ball cracked the pads of the batter, as the ultra-edge later revealed, which surprised the Indian captain Rohit Sharma, the on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough, who made the decision, and the bowler Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
“Felt bad for Virat today. He didn’t think he had hit it. Just wanted to know from Gill if the ball was hitting stumps. Despite Gill encouraging him to go for the review anyway he walked away dejected, wanting to keep the 3 reviews for his team.” Manjrekar wrote in his ‘X’ account (formerly known as Twitter).
The veteran, despite knowing the average of nearly 60 at home in Tests for Virat Kohli, felt that he doesn’t find it easy to score runs in India. The 35-year-old has added only one three-figure score in his next 12 home Tests since the century in the day-night game in 2019 at the Eden Gardens against the Mominul Haque-led side.
“Virat Kohli is not enjoying batting in India as much. Like Tendulkar, I think he feels more at home away from home. We saw that in South Africa when he played, he was by far India’s best batter. That’s fine, better to get runs away from home than at home.”
The Delhi-born has an average of 54.08 in Australia, which is the second best, besides scoring 1352 runs in 13 games with the help of six centuries and four fifties. He also enjoys an average of 49.50 in South Africa in the longest format of the game.
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In the case of Sachin Tendulkar, he has an average of 52.67 in 94 games, having collected 7216 runs with the help of 22 centuries and 32 half-centuries. His best average, however, has been in Bangladesh, where he has scored 820 runs in seven games at 136.67.
Virat Kohli will look to make better progression in the second game of the series at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. India needs to see him back in form before their five-match red-ball series in Australia towards the end of the year.