Pink-ball Test: Virat Kohli frustrated as ball keeps low before LBW, India star's average slips below 50
India Today
India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli's average has slipped below 50 for the first time since 2017 as the star batter was dismissed cheaply in both the innings of the Pink-ball Test in Bengaluru.
The Bengaluru crowd went silent as Virat Kohli was dismissed for the 2nd time in as many days by a delivery that kept low on a pitch that has witnessed some uneven bounce during the Pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka. Kohli looked frustrated after missing a low-kept delivery from Pravin Jayawickrama on Day 2 of the 2nd Test. He took a long look at the pitch before shaking his head and walking slowly back to the pavilion.
Notably, on Saturday, Virat Kohll got out after getting a solid start to another low-kept delivery from off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva. The former captain was batting on 23 before his LBW in the first innings. Kohli looked surprised on Saturday, unable to believe his luck.
India vs Sri Lanka, Pink-ball Test Day 2: Live Updates
On Sunday, Kohli looked proactive as the ball started to do things on a spicy pitch that also had a bit of uneven bounce. Kohli walked into the middle, greeted by loud cheers from the Bengaluru crowd, after a 55-run Stand between captain Rohit Sharma and Hanuma VIhari.
While he was crouching low to help adjust to the low bounce, the star batter played on the backfoot to a play that kept low from Jayawickrama.
The two unfortunate dismissals meant Virat Kohli's average in Test cricket slipped below 50 for the first time since 2017. Kohli has managed 8043 runs in 101 Tests at an average of 49.95. Kohli needed 43 runs in the 2nd Test to make sure his Test average remained above fifty but the skipper managed just 36 runs.
Kohli could not get a big one in his 100th Test last week in Mohali as the former captain fell for 45 in India's only innings.
