Virat Kohli’s dip in form persisted during the first Test against Bangladesh at Chennai, as he struggled in both innings, scoring 6 and 17.
In the first innings, Kohli was dismissed chasing a delivery outside off stump from Hasan Mahmud.
In the second innings, he fell victim to a controversial leg-before-wicket (LBW) decision. Kohli chose not to review, but replays revealed that the ball had made contact with the bat, which would have overturned the decision.
Kohli’s struggles are part of a broader trend across formats this year. In 15 matches and 17 innings in 2023, he has managed just 319 runs at a below-par average of 18.76, with only one half-century, which came during the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.
Kohli’s Test average has now fallen to 48.74, an eight-year low. His last lower average was in November 2016 (48.28). In 114 Tests, Kohli has scored 8,871 runs with 29 centuries and 30 half-centuries, but his performances since 2020 have been subpar. In 30 Tests over the past four years, Kohli has scored just 1,669 runs at an average of 32.72, with only two centuries and eight fifties.
Despite his recent struggles, Kohli has performed relatively well in the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship, scoring 392 runs in five Tests at an average of 49.00, with a century and two fifties. However, for India to qualify for their third consecutive WTC final and potentially secure their first title, they will need Kohli to regain his form in the upcoming matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia.
