Virat Kohli's Downward Trend in Test Cricket Persists
Maybe Virat Kohli just needed some good fortune. After pushing a young player's buttons wasn't sufficient to ignite the old spark, perhaps a stroke of luck could do the trick and revive a struggling batsman who India might be better off without.
Arriving early once again, as the fifth and final Test against Australia began, Kohli was greeted by a rising delivery outside the off-stump from nemesis Scott Boland that everyone expected.
His only option was to tentatively poke at the ball, which unfortunately caught the edge and went low down to second slip, where Steve Smith seemed to scoop it to gully and Marnus Labuschagne completed a fantastic catch.
The Australians celebrated, and so did the ecstatic home fans at the SCG, where another record crowd was in danger of being surpassed in a series that has captivated a country not always fond of cricket or its national team.
Smith argued that it was a fair catch, but third umpire Joel Wilson had other thoughts after viewing replays, which revealed enough uncertainty that the ball may have touched the ground as Smith scooped it into the air.
As expected, the incident caused controversy and another round of drama in cricket's most tumultuous rivalry. Some believed it was clearly out, while others disagreed. In other words, what you saw depended on whose side you pledged allegiance to.
Kohli was granted a second chance, and Australian fans braced themselves for the worst. He will now make a hundred, they feared. However, Kohli did not appear rejuvenated. He failed to show the same determined expression that has made him cricket's most infamous provoker.
Instead, Kohli looked defeated, much like the sad figure he cut when he made his exit from the Melbourne Cricket Ground on day five.
He was unable to get going and it felt like just a matter of time before he would be dismissed. He was playing defensively and did not manage to hit a boundary in his 69 balls on the crease - something that had never happened to Kohli in his illustrious career.
In his prime, where he exuded so much confidence, Kohli would have undoubtedly found a solution to Boland's metronomic bowling. But at this twilight of his career, Kohli is powerless and without ideas.
His only notable score, a century in Perth against a weary Australian attack, was indeed a rarity and may now be considered a fluke. It's becoming increasingly painful to watch him repeat the same unfortunate pattern.
As happened on day one at the SCG, where he eventually succumbed behind the wicket to Boland, who has transformed from an Australian domestic cricketer to potentially ending Kohli's career sooner than anticipated.
Despite a decade of mediocrity in Test cricket, Kohli's undeniably outstanding talent seems to be limited to retaining his place in India's team. Captain Rohit Sharma, regardless of whether by choice or covert means, has not survived into Sydney.
But at the age of 36, Kohli has stuck around. The future, however, looks bleak. A series on seaming surfaces in the UK extensively lined with an energetic, young English attack awaits.
Perhaps Kohli should consider calling it a day at the legendary SCG, where numerous champions have retired illustriously.
But Kohli has never been known for sentimentality. There's a job to be done for his country. One innings remains.
Despite the controversy surrounding his dismissal, Kohli's struggling form in cricket persisted. The pressure to perform for India's business interests in sports money remained high.
Regardless of the opposing team's tactics, Kohli's inability to produce runs was becoming a concern for India's sports industry, heavily reliant on his batting prowess.
