India batter Virat Kohli had a forgettable series as New Zealand completed a historic 3-0 whitewash against the hosts in Mumbai on Sunday.
Chasing a 147-run target, India suffered a sharp top-order wobble with Kohli undone by a sharp, ripping delivery from left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel. Kohli only totalled five runs in the match, ending the series with 93 runs at a 15.50 average – his lowest across any home series in his career where he has played at least six innings.
Kohli was subject to a trial by the left-arm spinners with Mitchell Santner dismissing him twice in the second Test in Pune, followed by Patel’s strike in Mumbai. Kohli, who turns 36 on Tuesday, has been in a rough patch with his last Test hundred coming back in July 2023 in the West Indies.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell highlighted Kohli’s indecisive footwork as the major concern before the upcooming Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Chappell exemplified Kohli’s weakness by referring to his dismissal to a low full-toss from Santner in the first innings in Pune. “Star batter Virat Kohli’s first-inning dismissal was the perfect example of India’s lack of decisive footwork,” Chappell wrote in his column on ESPNcricinfo. “Kohli was clean bowled by a delivery from Santner that, if the batter had taken even a small pace out of his crease, he could have hit on the full. However, instead of Kohli’s lack of decisive footwork being the culprit, his shot selection was questioned.”
The batting frailties have crippled India at the worst-possible time, said Chappell. “Calamitous displays against New Zealand exposed weaknesses in India’s batting. There’s no good time for batting fragility, but on the eve of a tough tour of Australia, it’s asking for trouble,” Chappell added.
India’s five-match tour Down Under will begin on November 22 in Perth.
