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For years, Virat Kohli was the epitome of batting excellence in Test cricket. The man who once owned every cricketing record now finds himself struggling to rediscover his rhythm. Kohli’s steep decline since 2020 has left fans and critics baffled, raising questions about his future in the longest format of the game.
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The Decline in Numbers
Kohli’s performance pre-2020 was nothing short of legendary. However, his numbers post-2020 paint a starkly different picture:
| Period | Innings | Runs | Average | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-2019 | 141 | 7183 | 54.83 | 22 | 27 |
| 2020-2024 | 66 | 2008 | 31.32 | 9 | 3 |
Key Observations:
- Average Decline: Kohli’s average has nearly halved, from 54.83 (2011-2019) to 31.32 (2020-2024).
- Hundreds Drought: He has managed only three centuries in 66 innings post-2020, compared to 27 in 141 innings during his prime.
- Conversion Rate Collapse: Kohli’s hallmark ability to convert fifties into hundreds has waned. From 27 hundreds and 25 fifties pre-2020, he now has just three hundreds compared to nine fifties.
Virat Kohli’s Post-2020 Test Performance (Series Wise)
| Series | Runs | Innings | Average | Strike Rate | 50/100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGT 2024-25 | 167 | 7 | 27.83 | 53.02 | 0/1 |
| NZ vs IND 2024 | 93 | 6 | 15.50 | 53.76 | 1/0 |
| BAN vs IND 2024 | 99 | 4 | 33.00 | 86.09 | 0/0 |
| IND vs SA 2023-24 | 172 | 4 | 43.00 | 79.63 | 1/0 |
| IND vs WI 2023 | 197 | 2 | 98.50 | 50.77 | 1/1 |
| WTC Final 2023 | 63 | 2 | 31.50 | 57.80 | 0/0 |
| IND vs AUS 2023 | 297 | 6 | 49.50 | 50.94 | 0/1 |
| BAN vs IND 2022 | 45 | 4 | 15.00 | 34.88 | 0/0 |
| ENG vs IND 2022 (Rescheduled Test) | 31 | 2 | 15.50 | 52.54 | 0/0 |
| SL vs IND 2022 | 81 | 3 | 27.00 | 57.86 | 0/0 |
| IND vs SA 2021-22 | 161 | 4 | 40.25 | 34.26 | 0/1 |
| NZ vs IND 2021 | 36 | 2 | 18.00 | 40.91 | 0/0 |
| IND vs ENG 2021 | 218 | 7 | 31.14 | 46.48 | 2/0 |
| WTC Final 2021 | 57 | 2 | 28.50 | 35.40 | 0/0 |
| ENG vs IND 2021 | 172 | 6 | 28.67 | 46.24 | 2/0 |
| IND vs AUS 2020-21 | 78 | 2 | 39.00 | 41.49 | 1/0 |
| IND vs NZ 2020 | 38 | 4 | 9.50 | 40.00 | 0/0 |
What Went Wrong?
1. Technical Weaknesses
- Kohli’s well-documented vulnerability to deliveries outside the off-stump has become a glaring issue.
- Pacers have repeatedly exploited his tendency to chase balls angling away, leading to consistent dismissals.
2. Mental and Physical Fatigue
- The burden of captaincy, coupled with the challenges of bio-bubble life, likely took a toll on Kohli’s mental and physical game.
- Prolonged spells of low scores may have dented his confidence further.
3. Overseas Struggles
- Conditions in Australia, England, and South Africa—where he once dominated—have now become his Achilles’ heel.
- Seam movement and disciplined pace attacks have repeatedly troubled him.
4. Lack of Big Knocks
- Kohli’s ability to play marathon innings, a hallmark of his prime, has significantly diminished.
- Since 2020, he hasn’t scored a double-century, and big hundreds have become a rarity.
The Way Forward for King Kohli
Despite the alarming dip in form, Kohli’s class and resilience cannot be discounted. To revive his Test career, he must:
- Revamp Technique: Work on tightening his game against deliveries outside off-stump.
- Mental Reset: Prioritize mental well-being to regain confidence and composure.
- Focus on Test Cricket: Consider scaling back his commitments in limited-overs formats to concentrate on red-ball cricket.
- Adaptation in Overseas Conditions: Develop strategies to counter seam and swing in challenging conditions.
Is This the End or a New Beginning?
Kohli’s slump has undoubtedly been one of the biggest surprises in cricket. But if there’s one thing we know about him, it’s his ability to bounce back. Legends like Kohli are often defined not by their peaks but by their comebacks.
The path ahead is tough, but the King still has the tools to reclaim his throne. Whether he does so will determine if this is just a blip or the twilight of a glittering career. The cricketing world waits with bated breath—because if anyone can script a redemption story, it’s Virat Kohli.
