New Delhi: Virat Kohli’s two early dismissals in the same phase – an eight-ball duck in Perth with a four-ball lbw in Adelaide – put his method against the new ball under scrutiny and turn an individual dip into a team concern.

In Perth , Mitchell Starc attacked the fourth-to-fifth-stump channel and drew a push with late footwork. In Adelaide, expecting the outswinger, Kohli was beaten by Xavier Bartlett’s ball that nipped back and was trapped in front.

Taken together, the dismissals show uncertainty around off stump in the opening spell, which is the passage that should set the tone for the innings.

India’s younger batters look to Kohli’s first twenty balls for cues on tempo and judgment. When that period does not show measured leaves, a straight bat to the ball on the stumps, and lo

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