NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli may not be in the best of his forms but the Australian media coverage on the star India batter after his arrival in the country for Border-Gavaskar Trophy suggests that he continues to be a hot favourite for them.
Various Australian newspapers, including The West Australian and Sydney Morning Herald, have prominently featured the 36-year-old cricketer on their front pages.
However, these news outlets consistently highlight Kohli’s recent performance dip over the past few years. The Australian media’s intense focus on ‘King Kohli’ remains unparalleled in its scope and frequency.
The Sydney Morning Herald featured a large image of Virat Kohli on the front page of its sports section, with the headline reading, “A Heavy Crown.”
However, the publication also took the opportunity to remind Kohli that he has struggled for form in recent years and will likely face a tough challenge against Australia this time.
Kohli’s form from 2016 to 2019 remains one of the greatest peaks in Test cricket, during which he scored 4,208 runs at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties. He also set an all-time record for the most double centuries by a captain in Tests, with seven.
However, since 2020, Virat has struggled with a prolonged lean patch in the longer format, amassing 1,838 runs from 34 Tests at an average of 31.68, including just two centuries and nine fifties.
This slump was further exacerbated by a poor home Test season earlier this year against Bangladesh and New Zealand, where Kohli scored only 192 runs in 10 innings at an average of 21.33, with just one fifty. The veteran also dropped out of the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings Top 20 for the first time in a decade.
Kohli’s career Test average stands at 47.83, but the numbers indicate that he particularly enjoys batting against Australia on their home turf. In 13 matches, he has scored 1,352 runs at an impressive average of 54.08, well above his career average.
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