Virat Kohli leaves Australia after officially sinking to 12-year personal low

Virat Kohli has added incentive to throw 2020 in the bin after officially enduring the least productive year of his cricket career.

Virat Kohli is leaving with a bitter taste in his mouth.

His team has hit rock bottom and Virat Kohli is leaving Australian shores with an unwanted blot on his personal copybook too.

India was bowled out for 36 on Saturday — its lowest ever Test total — as Australia romped to an incredible eight-wicket win in the first Test. Kohli was the tourists’ best with the bat in the first innings before being run out for 74, and he officially put the full stop on one of his leanest years when he edged Pat Cummins to Cameron Green in the gully in his second dig.

Watch Australia v India Test Series Live & Ad-Break Free During Play with the Fox Cricket commentary team. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >

It means the Indian captain failed to score an international century in 2020 across three Test matches, nine one-day internationals and 10 T20s.

It’s only the second time in his career since making his international debut in 2008 Kohli has gone an entire calendar year without reaching triple figures.

The last instance was 12 years ago when he played just five ODIs, including his first ever 50-over match for India. But this is the only time since he’s been playing all three formats where a century has eluded him.

Kohli and CO. are in a slump.

Obviously, the pandemic means Kohli hasn’t had the same opportunities to ton up in 2020 as he normally would have, because cricket was put on ice for months — so this statistical anomaly needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

However, he mustered only one half century across six Test innings, scoring a measly 38 runs in four digs during a disappointing tour of New Zealand at the start of the year before his only Test on Australian soil this summer.

To be fair, Kohli looked primed for a hundred in the first innings in Adelaide before being burned by batting partner Ajinkya Rahane.

The 32-year-old won’t have the chance to beef up his 2020 numbers because he’s flying home for the birth of his first child, and will miss the remaining three Tests against Australia, including the Boxing Day blockbuster in Melbourne.

Rahane will take over the captaincy in Kohli’s absence and has a tough task ahead trying to rebuild his side’s confidence after the history-making batting flop on the weekend.