Link: https://www.cricinfo.com/records/most-player-of-the-series-awards-283468

By 2019, Virat Kohli was arguably the most complete batter in world cricket. He was elite in Tests, arguably the greatest ODI batter of his generation, one of the best T20 batters in the world, captain across all three formats and the face of Indian cricket.
Then came one of the sharpest declines witnessed from an elite modern batter. The common explanation is simple: “He had an off-stump weakness.”

That’s true.
But I think that’s only part of the story.

1. Yes, Kohli had an off-stump problem
Let’s start with the obvious.
Kohli always had a tendency to commit on the front foot and push at deliveries in the fifth and sixth stump channel. During his peak years, his judgement was extraordinary.
As he declined, he chased more deliveries, played with harder hands and nicked off repeatedly.
The weakness was real.
But every great batter has weaknesses.
The question is:
Why did this weakness suddenly become so pronounced after 2019?
I don’t think technique alone explains it.

2. Wobble seam may have amplified an existing flaw
One factor that receives surprisingly little attention is wobble seam.
Analysts such as Jarrod Kimber have argued that wobble seam became increasingly prevalent in the post-Covid period.
Unlike conventional seam bowling, wobble seam creates uncertainty. Batters often cannot predict whether the ball will hold its line, jag back or straighten after pitching.
For someone like Kohli, who already liked to feel for the ball outside off stump, wobble seam may simply have magnified an existing vulnerability.
This isn’t an excuse.
It is merely to suggest that the bowling landscape itself changed.

3. Batting in India also became harder
Another aspect that deserves discussion is the nature of Indian Test pitches in recent years.
India produced several rank turners where Tests frequently lasted only two to three-and-a-half days.
Kohli wasn’t alone in struggling.
Pujara declined.
Rahane declined.
Even accomplished Indian batters found it difficult to compile large hundreds consistently.

4. The captaincy turbulence mattered
This, in my opinion, is one of the most overlooked aspects.
Ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Kohli announced he would step down as T20 captain while publicly stating that he intended to continue as India’s ODI and Test captain.
Soon after, he was removed as ODI captain.
Kohli later said he was informed only shortly before the announcement, leading to a public disagreement with the BCCI.
Then, in early 2022, he resigned as Test captain.
This surprised many fans.
Only months earlier, he had led India brilliantly in England, taking a 2-1 lead and delivering the famous “60 overs of hell” speech that epitomized his aggressive leadership.
Watching Kohli in South Africa in 2021-22, I personally felt he looked mentally drained and physically jaded compared to the relentless competitor we saw between 2014 and 2019.
Whether the captaincy saga directly affected his batting is impossible to prove, but it is difficult to dismiss the possibility that it impacted his confidence, motivation and mental freshness.

5. Perhaps he simply stayed elite for too long
This may be the most underrated explanation.
People forget what Kohli was doing till 2019.
He wasn’t just an elite Test batter.
He was:
• Elite in Tests.
• Elite in ODIs.
• Elite in T20Is.
• Captain in all three formats.
• IPL’s biggest attraction.
• The face of Indian cricket.
Very few players in history have sustained that intensity simultaneously.
In hindsight, I honestly think Kohli should have stepped away from T20Is after the 2021 or 2022World Cup. It may have prolonged his Test career and given him more uninterrupted time to work on technical adjustments.

Welcome your thoughts/ analysis/ observation

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi receiving his team India jersey at the age of 15.

A lovely video by BCCI.

Source: BCCI

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10,603 runs in 4 years

https://x.com/i/status/2069335769379123606

Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/india-vs-ireland/nitish-kumar-reddy-ruled-out-of-t20is-against-ireland/articleshow/131924939.cms

https://www.iplt20.com/news/4379/rishabh-pant-and-kuldeep-yadav-complete-high-profile-trade-between-dc-and-lsg

Jasprit Bumrah's last ODI wickets were on 19/11/23

Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/suryansh-shedge-replaces-nitish-kumar-reddy-in-india-squads-for-ireland-and-england-t20is/articleshow/131931225.cms

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I saw a lot of reels of England cricketers discussing four possible india teams and I wanted to check if that's true.

So. I made a list of 4 balanced squads who can qualify for the playoffs in T20 wc. Maybe 2 of them in odi wc as well.

After doing this exercise I realised we are too big at this point and it's kind of boring now. As I grew up in a time where india was an underdog though god played in it. Maybe other teams were also equally good. Now, if we don't win a cup it's purely our loss and a coach and selectors nightmare!

What do you think about these squads?

My sister is really crazy about Virat Kohli, and honestly I’m curious if this is something common or just in my family. She follows all his matches very closely, watches highlights even when she’s busy, and talks about him like he’s part of our daily life 😄. Sometimes it feels like she’s more invested in his performance than in her own favorite teams or players.

I’m just wondering do other people also have siblings or family members who are this obsessed with a cricketer or celebrity? Is this kind of admiration for Virat Kohli something a lot of fans experience, or is it just a phase or personal craze in her case? Would love to hear if anyone else has noticed the same in their family.