Team India held their first training session on Wednesday, September 25, with all squad members present at the nets. While opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, and Sarfaraz Khan were the first to take to the batting nets, the spotlight was once again on Virat Kohli, who struggled to make a significant impact in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh. Kohli managed scores of just six and 17 in the first Test.
Virat Kohli's weakness laid bare during India's nets session
Virat Kohli, the fourth batter to enter the nets, initially focused on throwdowns before joining his teammates for a brief football session. When the net session resumed, Kohli began facing throwdown specialists and then challenged himself against Jasprit Bumrah. Initially, Kohli appeared composed and confident against Bumrah. However, the Gujarat pacer quickly caught Kohli off guard with an outswinger, five minutes into the session. Bumrah continued to outfox India's star batter, deceiving him three more times. As Kohli fell victim to Bumrah's skill, a grin appeared on the pacer's face.
Kohli struggles against spin, falls to Ashwin, Axar multiple times
After facing Bumrah, Kohli turned his attention to India's spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and R Ashwin. He played a few defensive shots but ultimately fell victim to Axar Patel's bowling. Kohli was dismissed while attempting an aggressive shot, missing the ball entirely and being bowled through the middle stump. A few minutes later, Ashwin also deceived Kohli, bringing his net session to a close.
Kohli's form in Tests, a growing concern for India
Kohli's recent struggles at the nets, coupled with his underwhelming performance in the Chennai Test, have raised legitimate concerns ahead of the second Test match. His extended dry patch could pose a significant challenge for India as they prepare for another crucial encounter against Bangladesh.
Looking ahead, Kohli's form will be pivotal for India's success, especially as they aim to achieve a historic three consecutive Test series wins in Australia. Before the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli has four more matches to regain his form, including a three-match Test series against New Zealand and a single match in Kanpur against Bangladesh.
Virat Kohli in Tests (2024) | |||||||||||
Runs | Mins | BF | 4s | 6s | SR | Pos | Dismissal | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
| 46 | 103 | 59 | 6 | 1 | 77.96 | 4 | caught | 2 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 03/01/24 |
| 12 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 109.09 | 4 | caught | 4 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 03/01/24 |
| 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 4 | caught | 1 | v Bangladesh | Chennai | 19/09/24 |
| 17 | 43 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 45.94 | 4 | lbw | 3 | v Bangladesh | Chennai | 19/09/24 |
India squad for 2nd Test against Bangladesh
Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal
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