Bumrah Surpasses Virat In Unique And Surprising Batting Statistic During SCG Test

January 3, 2025: Virat Kohli’s latest failure in Test cricket has brought him into a rather unfortunate list of players, including bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Keshav Maharaj, and Shoaib Bashir, rather than fellow batters. The former Indian captain has struggled in the first innings of Tests since the start of 2024, and his average of 7.00 in these innings is among the lowest in world cricket.

During the Sydney Test — the final match of the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy — Kohli again failed to make an impact with the bat. He faced 69 balls and scored only 17 runs, failing to hit a boundary. His weaknesses against deliveries outside the off-stump were evident once again, with Scott Boland dismissing him for the third time in this series.

This poor run of form in first innings of Tests has now left Kohli with a batting average of just 7.00 in 2024, with his scores in the first innings of five matches being: 17, 7, 5, 0, and 6. Since 2024, Kohli’s struggles have seen him join a list of players with notably poor first-innings batting averages, including Keshav Maharaj, who has averaged 5.4 from five innings with a best score of 24, and Shoaib Bashir, who has averaged 8.33 in seven innings with a best of 11.

Interestingly, Jasprit Bumrah, widely recognized for his bowling, has outperformed Kohli in the first innings during this period, with a batting average of 10. Bumrah has scored 70 runs in seven innings, with his best score being 26.

Kohli’s ongoing struggles have raised questions, especially considering his pedigree as one of India’s most prolific run-scorers in the format. The lack of consistency in his batting, particularly in the first innings, has been a key issue. Kohli’s dismissal in the Sydney Test again exposed his weaknesses against deliveries outside off-stump, a problem that has plagued him throughout the series and into 2024.

In this context, the Indian top order’s performance in the Sydney Test was another disappointment. India was again off to a poor start, losing early wickets. Kohli’s dismissal was just one of several failures in the top order, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill also falling cheaply. However, Rishabh Pant (40 off 98 balls), Ravindra Jadeja (26 off 95 balls), and Jasprit Bumrah (22 off 17 balls) helped India reach 185/10 in 72.2 overs, with a fighting lower-order stand.

Despite the struggles of the top order, India’s lower-middle order, led by Pant and Jadeja, showed resilience to push India to a somewhat respectable total. Bumrah’s quickfire 22 runs and his ability to counterattack helped India avoid an even worse collapse. But Boland (4/31) continued to be the main threat, supported well by Mitchell Starc (3/49) and Pat Cummins (2/37), who wrapped up the Indian innings.

Kohli’s failure in this match compounds the challenges facing him, especially in the context of his ongoing slump in the first innings. With India’s batting issues well-documented in this series, the team will hope Kohli can find a way to rediscover his form, especially with crucial series ahead.