Tue Dec 17 09:42:24 UTC 2024: ## Kohli’s Average Dips to Eight-Year Low Amidst Inconsistent Form
**Sydney, Australia** – Virat Kohli’s once-unassailable batting average has fallen to its lowest point in eight years, raising concerns about the former Indian captain’s form. His current Test average of 47.49, while still impressive with 9,166 runs scored, represents a significant drop from the mid-fifties he consistently maintained until 2019. This decline has relegated him to the third-lowest average among players with over 9,000 Test runs, making him the only member of the “Fab Four” (a group of top batsmen) with an average below 50.
Kohli’s recent performances have been inconsistent. While his 81st international century in Perth offered a glimmer of hope, subsequent scores of 5, 7, 11, and 3 have been disappointing. His dismissal in the third Test in Brisbane, once again caught out by Josh Hazlewood’s outside-off stump delivery, further underscored his struggles. This dismissal pushed his average below 47.50 for the first time since 2015.
The downward trend began after he scored a double century against England in 2016, pushing his average above 50. This mark remained consistent for six years before a drop in the Bengaluru Test against Sri Lanka in 2022. Among the 19 players with over 9,000 Test runs, only Hashim Amla (46.64) and Alastair Cook (45.35) have lower averages than Kohli. Despite glimpses of his former brilliance, the question remains whether Kohli can rediscover the form that once defined his career.
First Piper 