WTC Final: 3 Kiwi bowlers who have dismissed Virat Kohli the most times in Tests

Virat Kohli will lead the Indian team in their pursuit of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Trophy. The top-ranked Test side will be up against New Zealand in the final to be played in Southampton from June 18.

The Indian skipper would also want to live up to his name as one of the modern masters of the game by playing a match-defining knock in the crunch encounter. Needless to say, the 32-year-old will be the prized scalp for the Blackcaps bowlers.

Virat Kohli has amassed 7490 runs at an excellent average of 52.37 in his 91-Test career to date. He has enjoyed almost similar success against the Kiwis, with his 773 runs in nine encounters coming at an average of 51.53.

The Indian batting mainstay has fallen victim to eight different bowlers for a total of 15 Test dismissals against New Zealand. While Jeetan Patel has got the better of Virat Kohli twice, the right-hander has been dismissed by Chris Martin, Mark Craig, Kyle Jamieson and Colin de Grandhomme once each.

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3 Blackcaps bowlers who have accounted for Virat Kohli's wicket the most times in Tests

Let us have a look at the three New Zealand bowlers who have gotten rid of Virat Kohli the most times in Test cricket.

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Trent Boult - Thrice

Trent Boult has dismissed Virat Kohli on three occasions

Trent Boult's maiden dismissal of Virat Kohli came in the first innings of the second Test of New Zealand's tour of India in 2016, played at the Eden Gardens. The No. 4 batsman was snaffled by Tom Latham at gully off a widish delivery after having scored just nine runs.

Boult again accounted for Virat Kohli in the second innings of the same Test match. The latter was trapped in front of the wickets by a delivery that kept low after having contributed 45 runs.

Virat Kohli's last dismissal against Boult came in the second innings of the first Test of India's tour of New Zealand in 2020. The Indian skipper edged a pull shot to BJ Watling behind the wickets for an individual score of 19 runs.

WICKET! V Kohli (19) is out, c BJ Watling b Trent Boult, 113/4#nzvind | #nzvsind | #INDvsNZ | #TeamIndia | #blackcaps | #Virat | #Kohli | #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/AZiTCds9yw

— Extra Pace (@Extra_Pace) February 23, 2020

In his Test career to date, Virat Kohli has scored 132 runs off Trent Boult's bowling for his three dismissals, thereby averaging a decent 44.0 against the left-arm pacer.

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Tim Southee - Thrice

Tim Southee has dismissed Virat Kohli 10 times in international cricket

Tim Southee first accounted for Virat Kohli in the 1st innings of the Bengaluru Test of 2012. The right-handed batsman padded up to an incoming delivery to be caught plumb in front after having scored a well-compiled 103 runs.

Southee next dismissed Virat Kohli in the first innings of the Auckland Test of India's return trip to New Zealand in 2014. The run machine was taken by surprise by a sharp bouncer and gloved it to Peter Fulton at second slip after having scored just four runs.

The Indian captain's final dismissal against Southee came in the first innings of the last Test played between the two sides, at Christchurch in February-March 2020. Kohli was caught plumb in front by an in-swinger after having contributed only three runs.

Tim Southee strikes just after lunch! Kohli LBW for 3. Reviews but it’s hitting. Rahane joins Pujara. 85/3 LIVE scoring | https://t.co/z3Er2dXVK3 #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/Zn66tP1YD5

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 29, 2020

Tim Southee's three dismissals of Virat Kohli in Test cricket have come at a cost of 109 runs. The Indian skipper thus has a middling average of 36.33 against the Blackcaps swing bowler.

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Neil Wagner - Thrice

Neil Wagner was the first New Zealand bowler to dismiss Virat Kohli three times in Tests

Virat Kohli's first dismissal against Neil Wagner came in the second innings of the Auckland Test of 2014. The India No. 4 bottom-edged a pull shot to Watling behind the stumps after having scored 67 runs.

Wagner again dismissed Kohli in the first innings of the next Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. The right-hander, who contributed 38 runs in that knock, smashed a full and wide delivery straight down Hamish Rutherford's throat at short cover.

Wagner became the first Blackcaps bowler to dismiss Virat Kohli on three occasions in the longest version of the game. He made the Indian captain, who had scored just nine runs, top-edge a pull shot to Ish Sodhi in the first innings of the 2016 Kanpur Test.

Neil Wagner has conceded just 60 runs while bagging Virat Kohli's wicket three times in Test cricket. The Indian skipper would certainly want to improve on his underwhelming average of 20.0 against the left-arm speedster.

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