India’s star batter Virat Kohli is having a poor form in international cricket. He scored only 23 runs in the recently-concluded first Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai. In both innings of the Test, Kohli delivered subpar scores of 6 and 17. While in the first innings, he chased an outside off-stump delivery by pacer Hasan Mahmud to lose his wicket, Kohli fell victim to spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz through LBW. Pointing out the difficulties Kohli faced in the Chennai Test, a fan asked Dinesh Karthik if Kohli needs to work on his batting skills. To this, the former India cricketer came up with a confident reply.

“Kohli’s return to Tests hasn’t been what we were eager to see. He is a beast but do you think he will have to look back at this series as an eye-opener for him to work on a few things?” asked a fan to the ex-wicketkeeper batter on Cricbuzz.

Karthik said: “Why? Two innings, he has gotten out, sir? Two innings? It’s Virat Kohli, he is completely okay. One Test doesn’t change anything about his life. He is a champion. Big matches, who do you want? Virat Kohli! He is the king.”

Since 2021, in the Test format, Kohli has scored 499 runs after facing 1094 balls. During this period, he has been dismissed 18 times. He has averaged 27.72 with a strike rate of 45.61.

Overall, Virat is going through a lean period across all formats this year. In 15 matches and 17 innings in 2024, he has scored just 319 runs at a sub-par average of 18.76, with just one half-century to his name and a best score of 76 made during the T20 World Cup final against South Africa.

In the Test format, Virat’s average is at an eight-year low. In 114 Tests, he has scored 8,871 runs in 193 innings at an average of 48.74, with 29 centuries and 30 fifties. The last time his average was lower than this was in November 2016, when he averaged 48.28.

(With ANI Inputs)