2024 not turning out to be a 'Virat' year for Kohli

Scrutiny never stops when it comes to cut-throat competition in international sports, even if you are Virat Kohli and have nothing left to prove.

Returning to Test mould after some rest on a vacation with family in London, the former India captain would have hoped to begin the resurrection of his Test run on a positive note. But just 23 runs in the two innings (6 and 17) of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh further dented his numbers in international cricket this year.

It certainly takes even the best a few innings to replace the slam-bang of white-ball cricket with a good leave, a wateright defence and become copybook to tick all the boxes for the traditional format. Even Rohit Sharma has failed in the Chennai Test, scoring 6 and 5 in his two innings.

And when you are a batsman of the caliber of Virat or Rohit, a big knock is always round the corner, even if history pages of Kohli's iconic career include 41 innings between 2020 and 2023 without a century in Test cricket.

In the same breath, those who go strictly by numbers will worry looking at Kohli's graph in international cricket since the start of 2024, which has just one half-century to show. Incidentally, it was one of the most important knocks of Kohli's career -- as his 76 laid the foundation of India's victory in the T20 World Cup final.

HUGE DIP

Comparing Kohli's numbers in international cricket in the last two calendar years shows a glaring decline in the batting maestro's performance -- as his average has plummeted from 66.06 in 2023 to a mere 18.76 so far in 2024; and the drop in run-scoring is highlighted by the zero under the centuries column.

Until June, Kohli was an all-format player, but his retirement from T20 internationals now limits his appearances to just ODIs and Test cricket. But as is the nature of fans' expectations, it ceases to end or even understand that even the players are human.

Still, though, numbers tell a story.

Virat Kohli's record in international cricket in 2023 and 2024:

TWO CONTRASTING PHASES OF TEST CAREER
A deep-dive into 35-year-old Kohli's Test numbers in the last mile of his decorated Test career highlights a trend that possibly shows natural effects of an ageing body. However, Kohli's table-topping 741 runs in the Indian Premier League earlier this year will contest that claim.

An interesting observation looking at Kohli's numbers in Test cricket divided into two phases is how his consistency has taken a hit in the red-ball format.

Before Covid struck the world, Kohli had played 84 Tests and was an unstoppable force. But his stats in the next 34 Tests since 2020 don't make a happy reading, considering the high standards he sets for himself.

Virat Kohli's Test statistics in two phases:


Does such drop in numbers bother players? The answer should be 'yes' if you are building your career, but possibly a 'no' when you are already a legend of the sport and have started to maintain work-life balance more with a targeted approach in the twilight of your playing career.

Ever since becoming a father, Kohli has evidently become very particular about that balance, taking a break from cricket whenever he sees a window available to be with his family. Limiting himself to two formats now (Tests and ODIs) instead of three will further facilitate that.

But there's still some unfinished business for him.

After two painful consecutive defeats in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the winner of the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup could possibly be targeting the elusive WTC title to complete the set before bidding adieu.

(Stats Courtesy: Rajesh Kumar)


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