Top 5 lowest Test averages in a calendar year for Virat Kohli ft. 2024

Virat Kohli is one of the most successful cricketers in the game's history. He has made a name for himself with his fantastic batting performances for India across all three formats.

However, like every player, Virat Kohli has also witnessed some low points in his career. The last calendar year, 2024, was not that great for Kohli in Tests as pacers exploited his weakness outside the off stump and the spinners troubled him in spin-friendly conditions.

Kohli batted in 19 Test innings in 2024, scoring 417 runs at an average of less than 25. It was one of the worst years for Kohli in Tests. In this listicle, we will look at the five lowest Test averages for the star Indian batter in a calendar year.

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#5 Kohli's Test average in 2021 - 28.21

Kohli missed the first two Tests of 2021 against Australia owing to personal reasons. He returned for the home series against England, where he scored two half-centuries in the first two Tests at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, but managed only 27 runs in two innings of the next two matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

India then played in the WTC Final against New Zealand. Kohli returned with 44 & 13 in that game played The Rose Bowl. After that, India played four away Tests against England. Kohli registered two half-centuries but could not convert them into big scores.

To end the year, Kohli could only get to 30s in the Tests against New Zealand and South Africa. Overall, Kohli scored 536 runs in 19 innings of 2021 at an average of 28.21.

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#4 Kohli's Test average in 2022 - 26.50

The next year was not that great for Kohli again. He stepped down as Test captain at the beginning of the year. Although there was no pressure of captaincy, Kohli's performances did not improve in 2022.

India played an away Test versus South Africa, a home Test series against Sri Lanka, an away Test against England and an away series against Bangladesh in 2022. Kohli ended the calendar year without a Test century. He aggregated only 265 runs in 11 innings at an average of 26.50.

The star Indian batter's best performance of the year came in the Newlands Test against South Africa. Kohli worked hard for a 201-ball 79 in that game.

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#3 Virat Kohli's Test average in 2024 - 24.53

The calendar year 2024 ranks third on the list of the lowest Test averages for Virat Kohli in a year. Kohli missed the home series against England owing to personal reasons, but he played 11 Tests, including four away Tests against Australia and one away game against South Africa.

In 19 innings, Kohli scored 417 runs, registering one century and one half-century. He scored a brilliant 59-ball 46 in Newlands and an unbeaten 100 in Perth, but apart from that, his batting performances were not up to the mark, which is why his average was just 24.53.

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#2 Virat Kohli's Test average in 2011 - 22.44

2011 was Virat Kohli's first year as a Test cricketer. He made his debut against West Indies away from home and could not score more than 30 runs in a single innings despite getting three matches.

Later in the year, when West Indies visited India, Kohli scored two half-centuries in two innings of the Mumbai Test. He ended the year with scores of 11 & 0 in the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

Kohli scored 202 runs in nine Test innings in 2011. Considering that it was his debut year and he played four out of five Tests away from home, 22.44 was a decent average.

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#1 Virat Kohli's Test average in 2020 - 19.33

The only calendar year where Kohli averaged less than 20 in Tests was 2020. He played only three Tests that year - two against New Zealand and one against Australia, all away. Notably, the match against Australia was a pink-ball Test. Also, the game had a lengthy break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virat had a forgettable tour of New Zealand in February 2020. He could not even touch the 20-run mark in the four innings of that series. Later in December, Kohli worked hard for a 180-ball 74 in the first innings of the pink-ball Test against Australia. Unfortunately, he got run-out, and then in the second innings, he lost his wicket for just four runs.

In 2020, Virat Kohli amassed 116 runs in six innings at an average of 19.33. It was the only calendar year of his Test career where he did not hit even a single six.