Mumbai (India), : Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed disappointment over batsman Virat Kohli’s shot selection during the first innings of the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval and pointed out that the reason for the decline in the batsman’s batting average was his “Intransigence” is. failing to address the issue of hissing on external off-stump deliveries.

After a brilliant return to form in Perth, Virat failed to add much to his run tally in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 as he could only score seven runs in the first innings. The eighth delivery he faced, bowled to him by Starc, was a long outside ball and had great bounce. The 36-year-old was unsure whether to play or leave the ball and ended up deflecting it towards Steve Smith at slips.

After his release, Manjrekar wrote to

https://x.com/sanjaymanjrekar/status/1864912696631865482

Virat has struggled for years to confront off-stump deliveries from outside, often pushing the ball to the wicket keeper or a slip fielder while attempting a cover drive, one of the most popular and high-scoring shots.

From an average of 54.98 at the end of 2019, Virat’s average has now dropped to 47.91. In 120 matches and 204 runs, he scored 9,152 runs with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His best value is 254*.

Since the start of 2020, he has scored just 1,950 runs in 36 Tests and 63 innings, at a below-par average of 32.50, with three centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 186. He has experienced a huge decline in form in Tests in recent years.

This year, Virat has scored 362 runs in eight Tests at an average of 27.84, with a century and fifty in 15 innings and a best of 100*.

Coming into the game, India won the toss and elected to bat first. After Yashasvi Jaiswal was removed for a golden duck, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill put up a 69-run stand. After that, India lost wickets regularly, although they faced setbacks from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravichandran Ashwin in the later half of the innings.

Mitchell Starc was the pick of the bowlers for Australia. Pat Cummins and Scott Boland got two scalps each.

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