The genius is back at his favourite hunting ground

Focus on Kohli is a direct result of what he has achieved in Australia and what he means to a team hit by absence of Rohit and injury to Gill

PERTH: Watching Virat Kohli closely in the nets is an experience. Watch closely enough and you won't think a thing is out of place. His intensity is top notch. The focus is admirable.

He has a plan. He looks the part. It convinces you that his lean run which is now five years long cannot last. And perhaps his favourite opponent will be the key to getting the master batter back in sync.

He draws eyeballs everywhere he moves while on the training field at the Optus Stadium here but much of that attention is a direct result of what he means to an Indian team that has been severely hit by absence and injury. As if the missing Rohit Sharma was a big enough blow, the injury to Shubman Gill has cast an even greater shadow on the team.

It is in times like these that the team will want Kohli to step up. It's tempting too - the story of a genius finding his best again. Now, who wouldn't want to watch that? But it wasn't until the end of India's net session that one realised how quickly times are changing. Kohli, after finishing multiple sessions of throwdowns and batting in tandem with different partners, was standing and chatting with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna.

Dhruv Jurel joined in a little later and that's when the complete lack of experience in the Indian line-up hit home.

Among his peers, Kohli alone is standing.