Fifty and out for India captain Kohli in fourth Test against England

India captain Virat Kohli hit his second half-century in as many innings but could not go beyond 50 at the Oval on Thursday as the tourists suffered their latest top-order collapse against England.

Star batsman Kohli, without a hundred at Test level in nearly two years had looked in good touch on the first day of the fourth Test apart from when he was dropped on 22 by England captain Joe Root at first slip off the returning Chris Woakes.

But a 96-ball innings, featuring eight fours, ended in curious fashion when, trying to turn seamer Ollie Robinson legside, Kohli edged behind to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for exactly 50.

Kohli's exit -- the third time he has fallen to Robinson in the series -- left India struggling at 105-5 after they had lost the toss.

The India skipper made 55 in the second innings at Headingley last week -- a match England won by an innings and 76 runs to level the five-Test series at 1-1.

Kohli's struggles have been in stark contrast to the form of Root, who has scored hundreds in each of the first three matches of this series and has six Test centuries for the calendar year.

That has lifted the England skipper to top spot in the latest International Cricket Council Test batting rankings.

© 2021 AFP