Weakness outside off and adamance led to Virat Kohli’s average slipping to 48, says Sanjay Manjekar

Virat Kohli of India bats during day one of the Men’s Test Match series between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval on December 06, 2024. File
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The great Virat Kohli’s “adamancy” to not explore an alternate route to overcome his weakness outside off-stump has brought his batting average down from the 50s to 48.13, feels former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar.

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Kohli, who struck a fine hundred in the series opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth to break a prolonged century drought in the game’s traditional format, was out cheaply for 7 on day one of the second match at Adelaide Oval on Friday, December 6, 2024.

It was a length ball outside off by left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc and it rose sharply on the batter, leaving Kohli in two minds. The ball landed on the fifth or sixth stump and as it moved away. Kohli looked tentative and ended up deflecting it to the slip cordon where Steve Smith did the rest.

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“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,” Manjrekar tweeted moments after the Indian batting mainstay’s dismissal.

Kohli’s batting average in Test cricket used to hover near the mid-50s some years ago, but a lean run of form saw it enter the 40s for the first time in almost five years, in 2022.

Before the tour of Australia, Kohli managed only 93 runs across three matches at an average of 15.50 against New Zealand at home.