Virat Kohli's Latest Dismissal Triggers Hilarious Memes: Fans Can't Get Enough of His Outside Off Stump Woes

India’s ongoing struggle on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia reached a new low as Virat Kohli, once again, fell prey to an outside-off delivery, sparking a social media frenzy. Despite the star batter’s stellar reputation, his consistent dismissals in this series have become a talking point, with critics and fans alike taking to memes and commentary to highlight his latest dismissal.

Same area
Same delivery
Same shot
Same mistake
Same dismissal

How many times will #ViratKohli make the same mistake? How long is too long?#INDvsAUS

pic.twitter.com/4KlLzUvt6D

— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) December 16, 2024

Commentator 1 on Fox Sports: "Have you ever seen Virat Kohli stepping up for the team when it's in a collapse?"
The other commentator replied: "Nah, he's always the one who's part of it."#INDvsAUS | #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/dlwXxZgdIJ — PapaBeastX_ (@PapaBeastX) December 16, 2024

"Nothing's out of reach if you're focussed on reaching there".

- Shri Virat Kohli __ pic.twitter.com/G3I6fmq70p — Shridhar V (@iimcomic) December 16, 2024

Ghante ka king Virat Kohli once again#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/xUzSaIyD8e

— UmdarTamker (@UmdarTamker) December 16, 2024

Virat Kohli supremacy __ pic.twitter.com/5lWNDBgKAX — veer (@_veeerrrrr__) December 16, 2024

Virat Kohli ..#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/lSfgBKr267 — Dogesh (@dogesh_bhai) December 16, 2024

Whole world to Virat Kohli - leave the ball going outside off

Virat Kohli - #INDvsAUS #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/1ttlMy21Rq — _____ ____ 2.0 (@balliawalebaba) December 16, 2024

The Familiar Pattern: Another Outside-Off Dismissal for Kohli

Kohli’s dismissal on Monday followed an all-too-familiar pattern that has plagued him throughout the series in Australia. Batting at number four, Kohli chased a wide ball from Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, ultimately edging it to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. With only three runs to his name, Kohli’s departure left India in a precarious position at 22 for three, and the memes were quick to follow.

This pattern of being dismissed to outside-off deliveries has become a hallmark of Kohli’s innings in the ongoing series, and fans quickly jumped on the bandwagon, mocking the star’s batting technique. The meme fest that ensued highlighted how Kohli's inability to resist playing at wide deliveries has been a major factor in his recent struggles.

Australia Dominate with Early Breakthroughs

Australia's pacers, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, were on fire, picking up early wickets to leave India reeling at lunch. Starc’s double strike at the beginning of the innings sent India into a tailspin. He first dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck with the second ball of the innings, and then removed Shubman Gill with a brilliant catch from Mitchell Marsh. Starc’s relentless pace and precision meant that India were left with little breathing room.

By the time Kohli walked out to bat, India were already under immense pressure. His dismissal capped a dismal start, with India at 22 for three, facing the daunting task of chasing down Australia’s first-innings total of 445.

Kohli’s Struggles Down Under: A Familiar Tale

Kohli’s failure to counter the outside-off deliveries in this Test series isn’t a new issue. Throughout the years, Australia has often found success against him by targeting the channel outside the off-stump. Kohli’s love for playing flashy shots through the offside often proves costly, as he edges the ball to the keeper or slips. His lone success came in the second innings of the Perth Test, where he scored a century, but even that effort couldn’t silence the critics entirely.

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar was vocal in his criticism of Kohli’s approach. On Channel 7, Gavaskar described Kohli’s rush of blood as a poor decision, lamenting that if Kohli had exercised more patience, he could have gone to lunch unbeaten, batting alongside KL Rahul.

Australia’s First Innings: Head, Smith, and Carey Steal the Show

While India faltered in their chase, Australia’s batting line-up was in full flight. Travis Head and Steve Smith both made crucial centuries, helping Australia post a formidable 445 all out. Head’s aggressive 122 and Smith’s composed 105 were the foundations of Australia’s dominance, while wicketkeeper Alex Carey’s quickfire 70 added crucial runs to the tally.

Jasprit Bumrah, the standout performer for India, picked up six wickets in a valiant effort to stem the flow of runs, but the rest of the bowling attack couldn’t find consistent breakthroughs. Bumrah’s heroics were a silver lining in an otherwise disappointing day for the Indian team.

The Social Media Backlash: Kohli’s Dismissal Sparks Humour

As Kohli walked back to the pavilion, social media erupted with memes mocking his latest failure. The memes ranged from humorous jabs at his technique to exaggerated comparisons of his recent dismissals with various funny scenarios. The incident has become another chapter in Kohli’s tumultuous journey in Australia, and fans are having a field day, poking fun at his struggles.

The Road Ahead: Can India Recover?

With India’s top order crumbling early, the task now falls on players like KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to steady the ship. As rain delays and interruptions loom, India will need a strong partnership to salvage the innings. At the time of writing, Rahul was unbeaten on 30, with Rohit facing one delivery before play was halted again due to rain.

Australia, on the other hand, will be hoping for clear skies to complete their mission of dismissing India for a total under 245, which would allow them to enforce the follow-on and push for victory in a single innings. With weather conditions playing a significant role in this Test, Australia’s best chance of winning lies in their ability to keep India under control and finish the match quickly.