"He’s feeling the pressure, no doubt about it" - Mark Waugh on Virat Kohli's lean patch in red-ball cricket

Former cricketer Mark Waugh feels Virat Kohli is feeling the pressure after going without scoring a century in red-ball cricket for over three years.

Kohli had another mild outing at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore in the third Test against Australia. He looked good for his 22 in the first innings on a tricky wicket but failed to convert the start. In the second essay, the former Indian skipper could only muster 13 runs.

Besides his poor form, what has been more concerning is his unusual ways of getting out. Waugh asserted that Virat Kohli was under the pump when he was batting in the middle.

“He’s feeling the pressure, no doubt about it, Waugh told Fox Cricket. "I feel like he is a little bit tense when he goes out there in the middle."

However, Mark Waugh pointed to Kohli's recent form in white-ball cricket, saying that he has looked in good touch of late. The cricketer-turned-commentator also highlighted that the Indian batter has been a touch unlucky at times.

“He’s been in good touch recently, he’s batted well in one-day cricket," Waugh explained. "I know it’s not Test match cricket, but the signs have been there in his last three innings in Test cricket that he’s actually playing pretty well."

“He’s middling the ball, he’s watching the ball well, his defence is strong," he continued. "He’s just making the odd error and it’s proving costly for him. He hasn’t had a lot of luck. He makes one mistake and he’s out."

While Virat Kohli has been in superb form in limited-overs cricket, he has failed to replicate it in Tests. The Delhi-born cricketer has managed to accumulate only 111 runs in five innings at a paltry average of 22.20, with a best score of 44.

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"Has gone that long without a hundred" - Mark Waugh on Virat Kohli

Mark Waugh further expressed his shock at Virat Kohli going without scoring a Test ton for over 1000 days now. However, the former Aussie cricketer believes that a century is around the corner for Kohli.

“I cannot believe a player of his class has gone that long without a hundred. He’s a world-class player and I feel like a hundred is just around the corner for him,” the former batter concluded.

Virat Kohli will have another shot at redeeming himself in the fourth Test against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.