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Virat Kohli's recent struggles with the bat have become a major topic of discussion ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on Friday. The Indian batting star, who has been in a prolonged slump, had a disappointing performance in the first Test in Chennai, scoring only 6 and 17 runs. This was Kohli's first Test appearance of the year after he took a break from the five-match series against England for personal reasons.
Kohli's struggles continued to be evident during a net session at Green Park Stadium, where he faced both pace and spin bowlers. According to the Indian Express, Kohli had a particularly difficult time against India's premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah during a 15-ball spell. Initially, Kohli appeared confident and hit a few strokes, but Bumrah quickly gained the upper hand. Bumrah was able to beat Kohli four times, including generating an edge and hitting Kohli's pads, leading Bumrah to declare, "saamne laga hai (You are plumb)." Bumrah further teased Kohli after another delivery, saying, "Aakhiri wala toh short leg ka catch tha (The last one would have been caught at short leg)." Kohli responded with a smile, acknowledging his difficulties.
Kohli's struggles were even more noticeable against India's spin trio – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. While facing Jadeja, Kohli attempted to play an inside-out shot but missed the ball three consecutive times, visibly showing his frustration. In his final practice session, Axar Patel bowled him out, highlighting Kohli's ongoing struggles with spin. As India prepares for the second Test, all eyes will be on Kohli to see how he adapts and performs. Fans are eagerly awaiting a resurgence of form from the talented batsman and hoping he can make a significant contribution to the team in the upcoming long Test season.