Sunil Gavaskar, the cricket legend, at the top of his game. In the opening match of the third Test, Kohli lost his first wicket due to his poor shot selection, which has become a frequent pattern in his recent play. He was once again fishing outside the boundary wicket.
When Kohli attempted a wide delivery from Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood, he was run out. Although it was pitched a bit broader than planned for, the ball was close to the seventh or eighth stump line, well outside the off stump.
The ball was wide, but Kohli went for it and tried another drive, which allowed wicketkeeper Alex Carey to make an easy catch. This trend of careless cancellations has impacted the player’s game in recent years, so it was a disappointing moment for both him and those who supported him.
Sunil Gavaskar was unreserved in his criticisms. Given the ball’s wide line outside off, he highlighted that Kohli’s stroke was unnecessary. “If it was on the fourth stump, I could understand,” Gavaskar said.”But this was way outside, and there was no need to play at it.
” He maintained that the delivery should have been overlooked, highlighting Kohli’s lack of the patience needed in the present situation.
Gavaskar also brought attention to the bigger problem, which is Kohli’s stubbornness. It was vital for Kohli to show greater control and form an arrangement with KL Rahul because India had already lost two early wickets—Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill—due to bad strokes.
Gavaskar said Kohli might have been out when play was stopped by rain if he had waited for the perfect pitches. An important component of Kohli’s continuous problem is his lack of patience.
For Kohli, the problem of pursuing wide deliveries is not new. Throughout his career, it has been an ongoing problem, particularly for the past few years. Kohli’s performance in Test cricket has dropped significantly as a result of his helplessness to address this weakness.
Even though he has displayed moments of his former greatness,
Such as his century in the second innings of the Perth Test, his track record has been limited, and his removals regularly reveal a lack of thoughtful shot selection.
Stephen Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, and other members of the “fab four” that dominate modern cricket have also been likened to Kohli’s recent difficulties. Kohli was the player with the most Test hundreds before 2021, but he has since lost ground to others.
While Kohli has 30 centuries, Root has 36, Williamson has 33, and Smith has 33 Test hundreds. Many have questioned his status as one of the modern greats as a result of his decreasing century count.
Cricketing greats like Sachin Tendulkar, who shown incredible patience and control during his innings, such as the well-known cover drive-free performance in the 2004 Sydney Test, where he hit an incredible double century, are frequently used as examples for Kohli.
Kohli may return to the list of run-scorers if he can improve his approach and exercise more patience, particularly when facing pitches outside the off-stump. His position in the exclusive group of Test cricket players will continue to be inquired about, though, until he resolves this problem.
