'Negative' Kohli affecting India: Waugh

Former Australia Test batsman and current national selector Mark Waugh has labelled Virat Kohli’s dismissal on day one in Bengaluru as a “brain fade”.

Kohli’s horror start to the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series continued in the second Test when he misjudged a Nathan Lyon off-break and was out lbw for 12 after lunch, dismissed without offering a shot for the second time in two innings.

Waugh, speaking on Fox Sports, said Kohli’s shot is the antithesis of what the Indian preached in the wake of the first-Test thumping in Pune.

"That's a brain fade,” said Waugh on Kohli’s dismissal. “I know the ball before bounced and hit him on the thigh-pad and he's a bit worried about those two men on the leg side, but that's bread-and-butter for an Indian batsman, a class player. You just tuck that off the hip.

Match Report: India v Australia, Second Test

"It was very un-Kohli like. He made a point of saying 'we need to play with much more intent in this game' but he's been the prime example of not actually doing that.

"He's just thinking negatively because there's men around the bat. He's thinking if it bounces he might get an inside edge. As a batsman, you can't think like that.

"He can hit that ball in his sleep for runs. He's obviously thinking is a little bit negatively and that's rubbed off on a few of his teammates.

"Most of them have looked very tentative at the crease today. Those (dismissed) Indian batsmen, they would be disappointed with how they got out.

"In between those dismissals you don't see the balls where one is sort of skidding and another is sort of standing up off the pitch. So there's a bit of mental disintegration in between those balls."

In Bengaluru, Australia’s bowlers continued their domination of India’s batters, bowling the hosts out for 189 after Kohli had won the toss.

India were bundled out for 105 and 107 in the first Test in Pune where left-arm spinner Stephen O’Keefe collected 12-70 for the match, the best haul ever by a touring spinner in the subcontinent.

On day one in Bengaluru it was O’Keefe’s spin twin Nathan Lyon who destroyed India to the tune of 8-50 and in the process smashing a hosts of records.

Five of Lyon’s victims were caught by close-in fielders while another one, Ajinkya Rahane, ran past a ball that kept low and was spectacularly stumped by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade who had initially fumbled the ball.

In reply, Australia finished the day at 0-40 and Waugh says the up-and-down wicket is not blame for India’s collapse.

"This pitch to me, it's not as bad as Pune but it's got that natural inconsistent pace and bounce in it – you see some balls turning, some keeping low,” Waugh said.

"I don't think it's a great batting wicket, it's disconcerting for the batsmen.

"(The variations are) definitely playing on the minds of the Indian batsmen, they're tentative, they're not their usual assured selves against the spinners.

"That's coming from losing the first Test but also the conditions, you're just not sure if it's going to turn or not and you're watching the ball looking to defend rather than score and put the pressure on."