Virat Kohli’s name is on every Australian’s lips as the much-awaited Border Gavaskar Trophy approaches. The five Tests between India and Australia will pose a strong challenge for the Indian cricket team, who head into the nearly two-month-long series on the back of a reality check at home at the hands of New Zealand.

Kohli himself heads into the series against Australia as a man who’s not at the peak of prowess. Or at least that’s what the numbers have us believe. Yet, Australian media and the former Australian cricketers like Ricky Ponting have spent plenty of time talking about the threat he poses.

Ahead of the India vs Australia series, a look at Kohli’s most notable numbers:

22.72: Virat Kohli’s Test average in 2024 is his lowest across all calendar years where he has featured in at least 10 innings.

54.48 : Virat Kohli’s Test average in 25 innings in Australia is his best outside India (55.58 in 87 innings)

Dec ’14 – Feb ’21: Kohli’s Test career peak for 100 consecutive innings began with the 2014-15 tour in Australia and lasted between his 52nd and 151st Test innings in early 2021. He scored 5608 runs in the period with 21 hundreds, a feat only bettered by Sachin Tendulkar (5729, 22) among Indians for 100 consecutive innings.

6: Virat Kohli has struck six Test hundreds in Australia, level with Sachin Tendulkar among Indians and only bettered by English legends Jack Hobbs (9) and Wally Hammond (7) in history.

47.83: Virat Kohli’s current Test average is his lowest since November 2016, when he averaged 46.11 ahead of his 50th Test. Kohli’s average slipped below 50 for the first time in five years in 2022 and has been on a freefall since.

41 : Among 46 players in positions 1-6 to score 1000 Test runs since 2020, Virat Kohli’s average (31.68) is the sixth-lowest, for 1838 runs in 60 innings. Only three batters have hit fewer centuries than Kohli (2) in this time.