Virat Kohli's Downfall Linked To Emotional Turmoil, Says Brad Hogg Before IND vs AUS Border Gavaskar Series

Brad Hogg believes Virat Kohli's struggles stem from emotional control while batting. Kohli's Test average in the 2020s has declined. The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series begins on Nov 22 in Australia.

Ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series between India and Australia, legendary spinner Brad Hogg believed that the reason behind stalwart batter Virat Kohli's downfall is that he is not able to control his emotions while batting.

In 2024 in Tests, Virat has scored 245 runs in five Tests and ten innings at an average of 27.22, with just one fifty and best score of 70.

In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 though, Virat has been rather solid. He has scored 556 runs in eight Tests at an average of 42.76, with a century and three fifties in 14 innings, with best score of 121.

The decade of 2020s has not been kind to Virat the Test batter, with him having made 1,833 runs in 33 Tests at an average of 32.73, with just two centuries and nine fifties in 58 innings and the best score of 186.

The 53-year-old asserted that the former India skipper was overanalyzing during the first two Tests of the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand. "They took New Zealand too lightly and they are trying to play catch-up cricket. All of a sudden, you saw that mindset shift with Virat Kohli in the first innings of the second Test match.

He was more aggressive, the way he strolled out there, the way that he was trying to attack the bowling. He just looked like he was overanalyzing. He looked as if he wasn't in control of his emotions and it showed in the shot that he played when he got out. If you look at the technique of Rohit Sharma to Southee, he's going to have to be a little bit tighter. Virat Kohli has to switch on from ball one," Hogg said on his YouTube channel.

The most awaited Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth. The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium's lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.

The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test, to take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest. Last week, Shami was not included in the squad as India announced their team for the upcoming five-match Test series in Australia.

Opener Rohit Sharma will be leading the side and right-arm seamer Jasprit Bumrah will be his deputy.

India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.