'One important reason why Virat's average has slipped to 48 now, is the unfortunate weakness outside off. But more crucially his adamance to not try another way to tackle it.'
Virat Kohli's refusal to make changes in his batting to overcome a weakness outside the off-stump has seen his average drop from the 50s to 48.13, says former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar.
The former India captain, who scored a fine hundred in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Perth to end a century drought in the game's traditional format, was out for just 7 on Day 1 of the ‘Pink-ball second Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
A length ball outside off from left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, who went on to take six wickets for 48 runs in India’s first innings, rose sharply, leaving Kohli in two minds. The ball moved away and Kohli looking tentative, ending up deflecting it to the slip cordon, where Steve Smith took the catch.
"One important reason why Virat's average has slipped to 48 now, is the unfortunate weakness outside off. But more crucially his adamance to not try another way to tackle it," tweeted Manjrekar, moments after Kohli was out.
Kohli's batting average in Test cricket was always near the mid-50s some years ago, but a lean run of form saw it drop to the 40s for the first time in almost five years in 2022.
Before the tour of Australia, Kohli had scored only 93 runs across three matches, at an average of 15.50, against New Zealand at home.
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