Virat Kohli can’t score a run against this Australian pacer – Find out who

Virat Kohli has amassed plenty of records in his playing career. The Indian cricket team skipper has scored plenty of runs in all conditions and has established himself as one of the best batsmen in the modern-era. Ahead of the Test series against Australia, Kohli was tipped to repeat the dominance in the 2014/15 season in which he smashed 692 runs at an average of 86 with four centuries, including two in the same Test in Adelaide. However, he was dismissed cheaply in the first innings, the first time he was dismissed for a low score at a venue where he has done brilliantly across all formats.

On closer inspection, Kohli’s failure in the first innings points to a deeper issue. The Indian skipper has struggled against this particular bowler. So much so that he has not managed to score a run against him. The bowler is young Australia pacer Pat Cummins. The Adelaide failure comes close to the previous series between both the sides in India in 2017, where Cummins got the better of Kohli on a flat wicket in Ranchi.

Read More | Pujara’s milestones with Dravid is the mother of all coincidences

The Ranchi Test was Cummins’ first in Tests after a gap of six years. The young pacer, who had made a sensational debut in the Johannesburg Test against South Africa in 2011, could not play a Test for many seasons due to a combination of back injuries. However, in Ranchi, Cummins made a comeback and he impressed with his pace and variations on a placid deck.

Read More | Nathan Lyon concedes unwanted world record, enters this double century

Australia had reached 451 thanks to a century from Steve Smith and India made a strong start by reaching 223/2. Australia took the second new ball in the 80^th over and Cummins came into the attack. Cheteshwar Pujara flicked a full ball to deep midwicket and Glenn Maxwell put in a great dive to save a boundary. Cummins’ first ball to Kohli was a full ball outside off and the Indian skipper edged it straight to second slip.

Kohli did not play in Dharamsala due to a shoulder injury and in Adelaide, he squared up against Cummins again. However, after safely playing two balls, Kohli was again lured into the drive by a full ball outside off but this time, Usman Khawaja dived full length to his left to take a stunning one-handed catch.

In total, Cummins has bowled four deliveries at Kohli, taken his wicket twice and not conceded a single run. The Indian skipper, for the moment, literally cannot score a run against Cummins.