Kohli, Pujara & Rahane: from being India's backbone to being a headache

India may have won the Lord's Test, but one area that couldn't be swept under the carpet despite victory was the shaky middle order. And it came back to haunt the visitors in Leeds as well. For a change KL Rahul got out for a duck as a wobbly middle order was exposed early on.

Cheteshwar Pujara tried to do what he once did best but this time even his defence was breached. He lasted for just 9 deliveries for a single run. Pujara has now gone 12 innings without a half-century and averages mere 14 during that period.

Onus was now on Virat Kohli to bail India out of trouble, but the skipper failed to impress yet again and was out for 7. It was for the 4th time in this series that Kohli made the mistake of fishing outside off stump and it was once again that man James Anderson, who proved to be his nemeses. Jimmy has now dismissed Virat 7 times in Tests, joint most with Australia's Nathan Lyon. It's suddenly like Virat is reliving his 2014 nightmare all over again.

Ajinkya Rahane looked good once again but was dismissed for 18 just at the stroke of lunch. He did manage 61 in the previous game but has looked a mere shadow of himself. Moreover, since 2020, the trio has managed just 1 century among them in Tests, when Rahane scored a ton in Australia.

Clearly, Virat, Pujara and Rahane who once were the backbone of Team India, have now become a headache for the management.

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