Virat Kohli
Kohli has struggled with the bat so far Getty

Virat Kohli is letting his emotions get the better of him and it is stemming from his poor performances with the bat, according to former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson.

Australia defeated India in the first Test in Pune by 333 runs before the host nation pulled one back in Bengaluru, winning by 75 runs and levelling the series 1-1.

However, the Indian skipper has been dismal with the bat, scoring zero, 13, 12 and 15 in the four innings he has played so far.

The 28-year-old has also been the centre of attention for his accusations that Australia crossed the line with their DRS manipulations as tempers flared in the second Test.

Johnson believes Kohli is frustrated due to his batting performance so far in the series and is also getting too emotional.

"He's (Virat Kohli) obviously quite passionate," Johnson wrote on his Fox Sports blog. "But I just think he's frustrated because he hasn't scored a run and he's letting his emotions get the better of him."

"You could sense the vibe change halfway through the match and it coincided with India getting ahead in the game. Obviously whenever there's a wicket the cameras go straight to Kohli to see his reaction - they know they're going to get those kind of reactions from him. And they did!

"He was giving a send-off to just about every player, which you've got to be very careful with. It can happen sometimes, when you're pumped up and you get a bit too fired up.

"But he's a great player and the sort of guy you want to have on your team, because they're the ones that are going to back you up."

The third Test match of the series takes place on 16 March at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.