Virat Kohli's Poor Form Continues, Faces Heat For "Wasting" Review

Virat Kohli failed to make an impact once again as he was removed cheaply by Tim Southee on the opening day of the second Test between India and New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. To make the matters worse, Virat Kohli consumed India's only review after Mayank Agarwal used one in the first session. Tim Southee knew as soon as the ball hit the pad but Virat Kohli hesitantly went ahead with the decision to take a review after discussion with Cheteshwar Pujara. Virat Kohli had missed the ball by some distance and impact was right on off stump. Soon, fans took to Twitter to slam the Indian captain for another poor outing and "wasting" the review.

Here are some reactions

Virat Kohli DRS reviews (as batsman) in Tests since 2016
14 referrals
Nine stuck down
Three umpire's calls
Two overturned

Last successful review: vs SL, Kolkata, 2017/18 (Umpire: Joel Wilson)#NZvIND

— Sidhearts@???? (@Sidloverboy123) February 29, 2020

Captain kohli gone for 3 (15)
Wasted a review too#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/dPTnVupkv9

— . (@imvk__) February 29, 2020

Low score again for @imVkohli puts India in greater pain. How eell Kiwi bowlers have tested him with swing and seam. Big session for both teams now. Couple of more wickets and New Zealand will have taken vice like grip on match

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 29, 2020

Cricket is a team sport. But not for Virat Kohli. Clearly put himself ahead of the team, yet again.

2/13 (15%) successful reviews against LBW decisions in tests.

7 more wickets left, last review and wasting it on such a straightforward LBW is unforgivable. #NZvInd pic.twitter.com/gG2dteK60Q

— Aditya (@forwardshortleg) February 29, 2020

Virat Kohli always thinking that he isn't out when it's comes to lbw decision in Test Cricket.

But the fact that he has been successful DRS only 2 times out of 13 he taken.

We suffer for DRS later. So don't use DRS just because of you are the captain.#NZvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/XS7sa25vMc

— Rohit Sharma (@Ro45FC_) February 29, 2020

Taking advantages of captaincy Virat Kohli using referrals every time and always wasting it.. which can better used for better chances for rest of batsman..#INDvsNZ #NZvsIND

— chaina_man (@chaina__man) February 29, 2020

Virat Kohli doing his best Shane Watson Impression with that review #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/9xBDqbgKNE

— Harrison Rennick (@hazzmann456) February 29, 2020

Just being selfish @imVkohli you were positive you are out why waste a review that could cost later on #IndiaVSNewZEaland

— Atinder (@atinder_pal) February 29, 2020

Virat Kohli, whose top score of the tour is 51, managed just three runs before Southee removed him. 

It was the seventh time during the ongoing tour that Virat Kohli failed to reach 20.

Kohli, who lasted just 15 deliveries at Hagley Oval, has not scored a century in his last 21 innings.

His last three-figure score came in the day-night Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata when he scored 136.

However, this is not the first lean patch of Kohli's stellar career.

Between February to October 2014, Kohli had failed to score a hundred in 25 innings across formats. Before that, he had failed to hit a hundred in 24 consecutive innings between February to September 2011.

Moreover, Virat Kohli lost his top spot in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen to Australia's Steve Smith earlier this week.

As far as the match is concerned, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bowl. 

India, who trail the two match series 0-1, lost four early wickets as the hosts tightened their grip on the match early on Day 1.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Virat Kohli Tim Southee New Zealand vs India, 2020 Cricket New Zealand vs India, 2nd Test