Kohli aura takes another hit as struggles continue

The pressure on Indian superstar Virat Kohli is set to intensify after his struggles with the bat continued in the first Test against Australia in Perth. Kohli entered the five-match series under huge pressure to perform after posting just two centuries from his past 60 Test innings. That included a woeful 93 runs at an average of 15.5 in India's recent 3-0 Test series loss to New Zealand in India. Kohli looked anything but assured in his scratchy innings of five runs off 12 balls in Perth on Friday. It took him eight balls to get off the mark, and his attempt to be assertive by batting way out of his crease backfired badly. Kohli was all at sea when a Josh Hazlewood delivery jagged up. The 36-year-old looked hesitant and reacted too slowly as the rising delivery caught his edge and flew to first slip. Kohli's exit left India in early trouble at 3-32, and the visitors were bowled out for a paltry 150 in 49.4 overs. Former Australia Test captain Ricky Ponting believed Kohli had employed slightly different tactics than normal. "He has changed his guard," Ponting told the Seven network. "He is up and out of his crease. You'll see that back foot is more over on middle and off-stump than we're used to seeing. "He is trying to get into the line of ball so he can hit the ball through the leg-side. "The reason he is doing that is because the way the Australians have bowled to him the last couple of times he has been in Australia - it has been this wider line has been his undoing. "Wider line out near 6th or 7th stump or wider and forcing Kohli into the drive. "Have a look at his dismissals against fast bowling since 2022. Look how many are wide outside the off-stump. "That is why he has changed his guard today and that is why he is more on off-stump." Kohli entered this series having plundered 1252 Test runs at an average of 54.08 in Australia. The aura he used to carry to these shores was a thing of beauty. Not anymore. Australians such as Nathan Lyon are quick to say "never write off a champion" when it comes to players like Kohli. But barring a remarkable turnaround, Kohli's average in Australia looks likely to be significantly less by the end of the series.