After a dismal Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series in Australia, Virat Kohli’s struggles with form have become a major talking point in cricketing circles. Former South African cricketer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers has offered candid advice to his close friend, urging Kohli to adopt a fresh mental approach to rediscover his batting prowess.
Virat Kohli & horror show in IND vs AUS BGT 24/25
India’s loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) after a decade was a hard pill to swallow, especially for a player of Kohli’s stature. The Indian captain managed just 190 runs across nine innings at an average of 23.75. His lone bright spot came in the form of an unbeaten century during the first Test in Perth, but his performances nosedived in subsequent matches, with scores of 7, 11, 3 (Brisbane), 36, 5 (Melbourne), and 17, 6 (Sydney).
Not to mention, the modes of his dismissals were not dissimilar to each other. Bowlers floated them outside off and Kohli duly poked at them, getting caught behind every time. Kohli’s struggles were particularly evident against Australian pacer Scott Boland, who exploited his vulnerability outside off-stump, taking Kohli’s number four times in the series alone.
“Virat Needs to Reset His Mind,” says AB de Villiers
Speaking in a video posted on X, AB de Villiers shared his insights on Kohli’s slump and emphasized the need for a mental reset.
“I think the thing is to reset your mind, every time. I think with Virat, he gets involved with the battle on the field. That is one of his biggest strengths and it can also be a weakness,” de Villiers said. “During this series, we saw him have individual battles with some of the players, the crowd got under his skin. Virat loves the fight, but when you are not in the form of your life, it is best to get rid of those things.”
De Villiers highlighted Kohli’s competitive spirit, which has often been his trademark. However, he believes this trait can backfire when form deserts him. “The skill, experience, and greatness of the guy are not an issue. It’s about the refocus after every single ball. Maybe sometimes he gets too involved,” de Villiers added.
Kohli’s struggles with single-digit scores and low batting averages have also been concerning. He recorded 10 single-digit scores in the 2024-25 season, equaling Rohit Sharma for the joint-most by any batter in the top seven in a Test season.
Kohli’s batting average of 23.75 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was the third-lowest for any batter in a Test series where they scored an unbeaten century (minimum six innings).
| Player | Series | Average |
| Aubrey Faulkner | 1912 Triangular-Series | 19.40 |
| Frank Woolley | 1922 South Africa vs England | 23.25 |
| Virat Kohli | BGT 2024/25 | 23.75 |
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