Virat Kohli's Form Is A Big Factor For India: VVS Laxman

Indian captain Virat Kohli struggled to score runs during his team’s tour of New Zealand. He managed to score just on fifty in eight innings, which clearly goes to show how badly he suffered in these conditions. The skipper garnered just 218 runs from 11 innings on this tour with the highest score of 51

In fact, Kohli’s tally of 218 is the lowest ever score he has managed to score on a tour where he played all three formats of the sport. His last century in an overseas Test match came against Australia in Perth in December, 2018 and since then he lacked the killer instinct to score daddy hundreds.

VVS Laxman feels Virat Kohli and Bumrah are talking points:

Meanwhile, former India batting great VVS Laxman on Monday said Virat Kohli’s sub-standard show with the bat was the biggest disappointment for the Indian team in the two-Test series against New Zealand.

“The biggest talking point on this tour right from the one-day series to these two Test matches has been the form of two very important players – Virat Kohli in the batting department and Jasprit Bumrah in the bowling department,” VVS Laxman said in the post-match show on Star Sports.

Kohli’s performance was short of an effect in the two-match Test series. He was able to garner only 38 runs in four innings with 19 being his highest score.

To make things worse, Team India suffered first Test series whitewash as captain as the hosts won the match by seven wickets at the Hagley Oval Stadium in Christchurch.

He averaged just 9.50 in the two Tests which is the second-lowest in his cricketing career in a Test series with 2-plus games and also the lowest in an overseas assignment in Test cricket.

Kohli’s scores against New Zealand in the Test series read 2, 19, 3, 14.

Virat Kohli focused on his game despite miserable show in New Zealand:

“Virat Kohli’s form has definitely been the biggest letdown for the Indian team because when your top batsman, probably the best in the world, averages 9 (9.50 to be precise) in the two-Test matches, I think it is going to be tough for the visiting side. They didn’t show any fight in the Tests,” Laxman added in a statement.

India will now host three-match ODI series against South Africa. The series will get underway from March 12.