WTC Final: Will Virat Kohli end the grand wait at the grand stage?

569 days. That is how long it has been since Virat Kohli scored his last century in international cricket. The wait, longer than ever, for his fans has continued since November 2019 and it continues to make them restless. There’s a dedicated Twitter account that keeps a tab on this as if it wasn’t gaining enough attention.

569

— Days Since Kohli scored last international century (@kswl92) June 14, 2021

And before all that is ascribed to being milestone-centric, it is important to understand the form of India’s best batsman in the current setup hasn’t actually lived up to the expectation. Kohli’s batting prowess reached its peak in 2016 and his numbers in the subsequent years show the extent of his domination. However, after 2018, the batting machine has not displayed the same efficiency. The numbers confirm this.

Kohli’s average in Tests dropped to 42.85 in the period since 2018. While it is a batting average good enough for any middle-order batsman, it does injustice to the genius of Virat. Ever since his century against Bangladesh in India’s maiden day-night Test, the Indian captain has crossed the score of 50 in Tests only on two occasions. And he has failed to touch the three-figure mark.

Signs of brilliance

Form is temporary, class is permanent. And the class of Kohli’s batting has shone brightly even in this gloomy patch.  His knock of 74 in the only Test he played on the Australian tour (1st Test, Adelaide) was a superlative innings, which was tragically cut short by a run out. In Chennai this year, India needed 420 runs to win in the first Test against England. While the team was all out for 192 runs, Kohli came up with a gem of 72-run innings that included 9 boundaries. On a pitch, that was described as a sand beach, it was Kohli who played an attacking knock while the batting unit faltered around him.

Return to England

England and Kohli have a story of their own. After establishing himself as one of the best talents going around, Kohli’s confidence was shattered in 2014 on English soil. He totalled 134 runs in 10 innings and it was a complete failure for him. The mental trauma of that Test series against England tore him down, which he later revealed to the world. And then there was a blazing return.

In 2018, Kohli’s heroic return was marked by his 149 at Edgbaston, an innings counted amongst his best. He smashed 593 runs in this 5-match series and did not even once get out to his nemesis, James Anderson. Vanquishing the ghosts of 2014, Kohli proved that he has the grit and the determination to rise from the ashes.

A grand stage

India will face New Zealand in the World Test Championship. The island nation has a phenomenal bowling attack at their disposal. Tim Southee has dismissed Kohli 10 times in international cricket. Trent Boult’s left-arm angle has troubled Kohli in the past. While Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson have also dismissed him in Tests at least once.

With the WTC Trophy at stake, all eyes will be on India’s captain. Kohli is yet to claim an ICC Trophy and this one looks well within his reach. While his aggressive captaincy has not lost any of its sheen, it remains to be seen if his bat can keep the critics quiet.