The current Indian skipper was slammed for his bowling changes early on day two as Australia went from 6/277 to 6/310 before India’s first strike.

It was a mixture of short bowling and wrong bowling choices for Kohli according to Gavaskar.

Both Gavaskar and former Australian captain Michael Clarke were floored Kohli didn’t give Jasprit Bumrah the ball.

“Astonished, baffled not just surprised,” Gavaskar said on Sony Sports.

“Baffled because the ball he bowled to Paine with the second new ball towards the end of yesterday’s play — pitching on a length, beating Paine and going over wicketkeeper Pant’s head. When somebody is bowling that way, why would you not give him the ball straight away at the start of the day’s play?

“He’s been your best bowler on this surface. Yes, there might have been others who would have got more wickets to show but you know who’s the man more likely to get you the wicket of Tim Paine in the morning.”

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke doubled down on the criticism of Kohli’s captaincy.

“To get wickets, Bumrah is by far the best bowler for India in this series,” Clarke said. “You’ve got to throw the ball to him. It’s about reading the match situation. Sunny is spot on.”

Clarke also said if any Indian batsman could score a century on the green top pitch in Perth “it will be the best hundred of their career”.

Enter Virat Kohli.

Kohli led India’s fightback from 2/8 to 2/172 with a dogged 82 off 181 balls as he eyes the 25th century of his career.

Kohli combined with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (51 not out) to put India just 154 behind Australia’s first innings score.

The world’s top-ranked Test batsman hit four boundaries in the first nine balls he faced and forced swing bowler Josh Hazlewood out of the attack.

In a column for Fox Sports, Fox Cricket commentator Mark Waugh agreed with Clarke’s assessment.

“If Virat Kohli ticks off the final 18 runs he needs to make his 25th Test century it will register among the best of his career,” he wrote.

“Given the caliber of Australia’s attack and how foreign these conditions are for the Indians, if Kohli does turn this into a hundred it will be one of the best of his career given the factors at play.”

If Kohli brings up a hundred, it will be his sixth in Australia.

— with AAP

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