3 reasons why Virat Kohli's slow start in 1st IND vs BAN 2024 Test is nothing to worry aboutÂ
The last two days have given us an indication into what the final quarter of Virat Kohli's cricketing career would look like. Despite his increasing age, the expectations have never been higher from him.
Perhaps, it's the pressure of the incoming youngsters to the team. After years of being the protagonist without any competition, his inevitability in the side has been challenged by the anxiety, 'Is an ageing legend better than a promising youngster for the long term future of the national team?'
Because what else would explain the noise around his failure to perform in one Test? It's not just the fans, deprived of India playing international cricket for three months, losing their head but also experienced men like Ravi Shastri asking him to "change with the times" and start playing sweeps and hitting spinners over the in-field.
Below we have tried to argue otherwise. We have tried to explain, even though it shouldn't be needed at high-level sport, why it's no time to panic, and instead to relax, and being fine with two bad knocks.
#3 Playing Test cricket after 9 months
We are only three months away from 2025. The last time Kohli played Tests before this match against Bangladesh was in 2023 -- away from home against South Africa where he crossed 30 thrice in four innings in some of the most difficult conditions.
This is not Kohli of 2019-2021, who couldn't buy big knocks. This Kohli was the highest run-scorer in the last ODI World Cup and the Player of the Match in the final of the last T20 World Cup.
The first three innings of the India-Bangladesh Test have been the most difficult for top-four batters. Those who have had been successful have had at least some red-ball or white-ball practice behind them in the last few weeks.
Now, you can make a case for why Kohli (and similarly, Rohit Sharma) should have played the Duleep Trophy or not. But one Test can and should never be enough sample size to panic about the future of a batter, let alone a batter of Kohli's quality.
#2 No obvious skill problems
Yes, in the first innings, he got out fishing a ball outside the off-stump. But since then, many former cricketers have spoke about how that can happen when you haven't played for a long time.
It's an issue Kohli has worked on and improved before -- with the South Africa tour being another example -- and you can back him to do it again. In fact, during the Test, he was seen practicing his leaves and shots outside the off-stump in the nets.
Secondaly, he looked much more comfortable in the third innings of the Test, pouncing on bad balls to canter to 17 (37) before he got adjudged LBW and decided against reviewing it. It turned out he has edged the ball, which means he could have got the on-field call overturned by opting for DRS.
Had he been dismissed bowled or plumb LBW by a spinner, asking him to change his tried-and-tested technique would have made some sense. But there was nothing in those two innings to suggest that his game has plummeted, it only felt like a bit of rust.
Before comparisons with Jasprit Bumrah spring up, the pacer himself admitted that his pack needed some time to get in the groove, which is why they bowled short spells. Batters don't get that luxury: for example, it took two nearly identical, brilliant balls to end Rohit's Test.
Technical and even mental changes sometime take months to materialize and Kohli have done that, too, whenever needed. Now, instead of worrying, his supporters need to back him and watch how he emerges from adversary in the second Test.
#1 Virat Kohli has a long season ahead
It's easy to forget that this is Bangaladesh's second-last Test series of the season but is just first for India. The one Test that has caused such clamor is the hosts' first of a long, long season of red-ball cricket.
Kohli will get at least four Tests (one against Bangladesh + three against New Zealand) at home to get back into his groove for the tour of Australia, where he has a history of success too. There's so much cricket to play that it's ludicrous to fret about one game.
If we have learned anything from the BCCI's recent adventures, these four Tests will present India with a variety of pitches to probe their skills. It's more than enough time for Kohli to get back into his groove and put up a big show in what could be his last Test tour of Australia.