Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 1 of BGT 2024-25 5th Test ft. Kamran Akmal

Virat Kohli's struggles with the ball outside the off-stump continued on the opening day (Friday, January 3) of the fifth Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test in Sydney.

The former Indian skipper did well to leave the deliveries outside-off patiently. However, after a point, he seemed to have lost his patience and went after an outside-off delivery from Scott Boland, who was probing in that area.

Virat Kohli edged the ball to Beau Webster at third slip and was eventually dismissed for 17 off 69 deliveries. He has been dismissed in a similar fashion multiple times in the series and the mode of dismissal continues to haunt him.

The Indian team was bowled out for 185 after batting first on the opening day. They did manage to pick up a wicket as Jasprit Bumrah sent Usman Khawaja back, with Australia ending the day on 9/1, trailing by 176 runs.

Here is what some of the experts had to say as Virat Kohli once again fell prey to the outside off-stump delivery.

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Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Virat Kohli's dismissal on Day 1 of BGT 2024-25 5th Test

#5 Kamran Akmal

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal pointed out that a big player like Virat Kohli is not able to work on one weakness and overcome the same. Referring to his mode of dismissal, Akmal said that the Indian batter will need a lot of practice and will need to think of a way to escape from repeated troubles.

"Virat Kohli got out on 17. He missed an easy single on the previous delivery and then got out in the slips on the next ball. In this entire tour he has gotten out the same way. The way he is angling the bat I do not think you can play like this when there is some seam movement and bounce. This has become a big weakness of Virat Kohli that everyone is talking about it," he said on his YouTube channel.

Kamran also added that it would be better for Kohli to leave the balls outside the off-stump, talk to seniors, and work on his skills.

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#4 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batter and Kohli's former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate also shared his thoughts on the dismissal.

Assessing his technique, Karthik said on Cricbuzz that Kohli brought his elbow straighter, getting more side on, which allowed him to leave many balls outside the off-stump.

Karthik added that despite his innings being disciplined to an extent, he got out in a similar way yet again.

"He was leaving so many balls just around the fourth stump and fifth stump today with regular ease till he played at one that he shouldn't have again. That's the tough part about batting. All you need is one error. If he had gotten out the first ball that would have been very different. After that it was an innings filled with discipline where he left, fought his demons in the mind, did everything possible, but again the ball that he got was one that he knows that he could have left on height and line," he said.

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#3 Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan assessed Virat Kohli's dismissal, stating that the batter does not have a range like Sachin Tendulkar.

Drawing a comparison, Pathan stated on Star Sports:

"He is coming and going in the same fashion outside the off-stump. All of us talk about the great Sachin Tendulkar not playing the cover drive on the same Sydney ground, but he used to play the square cut and uppercut apart from the cover drive, but Virat Kohli doesn't have runs behind square."

He added that Kohli showed patience. However, when he runs out of patience, he ends up playing the ball he should not and gets out. Pathan also added that until Kohli does not bring the cut shot out, the Australian bowlers will keep targeting the outside off-stump channel.

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#2 Parthiv Patel

Another former Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Parthiv Patel made a cheeky comment about Kohli's dismissal. Talking on Cricbuzz, he stated that it (his dismissal mode) is a relationship between the edge and missing the middle of the bat.

He explained that Kohli tries to middle the ball often but there is a glaring fault and is a mistake in his batting.

"As soon as the ball goes outside the off stump he fails to control himself. Today he was leaving a lot of deliveries but even then he was driving the full length deliveries. It comes down to Kohli having to accept that there is a fault and he will have to work on it. There was a slight change in his stance. It was a slightly closed stance but the fault is still there. Not just Boland but many bowlers are exploiting this fault," he said.

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#1 Sunil Gavaskar

Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar exclaimed that Virat Kohli will be very disappointed with himself. Gavaskar, talking on Star Sports, explained that the former Indian captain's weakness is only because he tries to play more off the front foot.

He said that Kohli needs to play off the back foot to leave those deliveries. Gavaskar explained why playing off the front foot is hurting Virat and leading to him being dismissed in the same way over and over again.

"When you play off the front foot, you are unable to control. It's absolutely right to go close to the ball if it's swinging, but you get a chance to play bounce if you play back. He is not doing that because he is only playing forward. He was outside the crease. So it will be difficult, and he also opened his bat's face slightly," he stated.