Comparing the Performance of Virat Kohli and Usman Khawaja
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series was a challenging one for several top batsmen, including Virat Kohli and Usman Khawaja. While Kohli’s performance has been widely criticized, Khawaja’s struggles have gone relatively unnoticed.
Virat Kohli’s Performance in the Series
Kohli batted in 9 innings throughout the series, scoring a total of 190 runs at an average of 23.75. His performance was marked by a single century, which was also his highest score in the series. Notably, Kohli was dismissed 8 times, with each dismissal occurring on the off stump ball.
Usman Khawaja’s Performance in the Series
In contrast, Usman Khawaja scored 184 runs in 10 innings at an average of 20.44. His highest score in the series was a single half-century. Despite his struggles, Khawaja’s performance has not received the same level of scrutiny as Kohli’s.
Expectations and Criticism
The disparity in criticism between Kohli and Khawaja highlights the high expectations surrounding Kohli’s performance. As one of the world’s top batsmen, Kohli is often held to a higher standard than his peers. In contrast, Khawaja’s struggles have been largely overlooked, despite his performance being statistically worse than Kohli’s.
Series Outcome
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series ultimately ended in a 1-3 defeat for Team India. After winning the first match in Perth by 295 runs, India failed to win any of the remaining matches, losing three and drawing one.