Virat Kohli’s return to the Indian Test team has been met with much anticipation, and his performance in the match simulation at the WACA has provided some insights into his current form. Kohli’s first stint at the crease lasted only 15-20 minutes, during which he scored just 15 runs before being dismissed by Mukesh Kumar. However, he returned to the middle later in the session and looked more fluent, scoring 30 runs without losing his wicket.
Kohli’s initial struggles were attributed to the bounce and pace of the WACA pitch, which made it difficult for him to execute his trademark drives. He faced a variety of bowlers, including Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, but it was Mukesh who posed the biggest challenge. Mukesh’s skiddy deliveries forced Kohli to play cautiously, and he was eventually dismissed while attempting to connect a delivery on the fifth stump.
Despite his early dismissal, Kohli showed signs of improvement in his second stint at the crease. He displayed better judgment of line and length, and his hand-eye coordination was sharp. He also produced some brilliant cover drives, indicating that his timing is still intact.
Kohli’s performance in the match simulation is encouraging, but it remains to be seen how he will perform in the actual Test match. With Rohit Sharma likely to miss the Perth encounter, the onus will fall on Kohli to lead India’s batting unit. He will need to be at his best if India is to have a chance of winning the series.
