Virat Kohli not quite up to the mark in ODIs
Indian skipper Virat Kohli yet again failed to deliver in the ODI series against New Zealand. The right-handed batsman ended the there-match series with a total number of 75 runs to his name after Hamish Bennett dismissed him in the third ODI. Although Kohli played a modest 51-run knock in the series opener, he just couldn't produce solid performances thereafter. Here's more.
His tally of 75 runs with an average of 25 is the lowest since the 2015 Bangladesh tour where he could muster only 49 at 16.33. Kohli's scores in the tour read - 45, 11, 38, 11, 51, 15, and 9. He has scored 180 runs at 25.71 including T20Is. Meanwhile, his 75 runs is the least as skipper in a bilateral ODI series.
Least runs scored by Virat Kohli in a bilateral ODI series as a captain:75 v NZ (in NZ), 2019/20*89 v WI (in Ind), 2019/20148 v NZ (in NZ), 2018/19#INDvNZ— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) February 11, 2020
Kohli's last nine ODI scores read - 4, 0, 85, 16, 78, 89, 51, 15 and 9. He scored his last hundred in August 2019. He hasn't scored a century in last three ODI series (against WI, AUS & NZ). The last time he was sans a hundred in three consecutive series/tournament was in 2012-13 (against Pakistan, England and the ICC Champions Trophy).
This is the first instance in bilateral ODIs of India playing a dead rubber after conceding the series under Virat Kohli's captaincy (17 series).#NZvIND
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) February 11, 2020
Kohli's recent graph doesn't align well with his stature as a limited overs batsman. However, he will target the upcoming Test series against the Kiwis to seek redemption. Kohli is backed by a phenomenal Test record on the New Zealand soil as he averages 71.33 in four innings. The two teams will lock horns in the first Test beginning on February 21 in Wellington.
