Virat Kohli’s return to international cricket has hit another rough patch. The former Indian captain endured a second straight duck in the ODI series against Australia, this time in Adelaide on October 23 (Thursday). It’s the first time in his ODI career that Kohli has recorded back-to-back zeroes, marking a rare and frustrating phase for one of India’s modern greats.
Coming back to the national side after a break since March, Kohli has looked uncharacteristically out of touch. In the first ODI in Perth, he faced eight deliveries without scoring before edging a Mitchell Starc delivery to backward point. Fans expected a turnaround in Adelaide — a ground that has been one of his happiest hunting venues — but the script remained unchanged.
Another Early Exit for Kohli in Adelaide
After Australia won the toss and asked India to bat, the visitors endured a sluggish start. Rohit Sharma struggled against the pace trio of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Xavier Bartlett, managing only 8 runs off 28 balls. The mounting pressure led to a loose shot from Shubman Gill, who fell to Bartlett for a soft dismissal.
Kohli walked in with India under pressure in the seventh over but lasted only four deliveries. This time, a sharp nip-backer from Bartlett beat his defence, crashing into his pads. The mode of dismissal — a ball seaming back in — has troubled him in the past, and it added to his growing list of low scores in recent months.
Kohli’s 40th Duck in International Cricket
This latest dismissal marks Kohli’s 40th duck in international cricket. Among top-six batters, only Sanath Jayasuriya (50), Mahela Jayawardene (44), Chris Gayle (43), and Younis Khan (42) have registered more. The last time Kohli recorded consecutive ducks across formats was in 2021 — against England in Ahmedabad — one in a Test and another in a T20I.
India’s innings didn’t fare much better in the early stages. The team reached only 29/2 after 10 overs, their third-lowest ODI powerplay score since 2023, with the previous two lows also coming against Australia (27/3 in Chennai 2023 and 27/3 in Perth earlier this series).
At 36, Kohli has limited his international career to ODIs after retiring from T20Is and Tests. With his sights set on the 2027 ODI World Cup, this slump has arrived at a critical juncture. While a player of his calibre is always capable of bouncing back, the growing pressure from fans and selectors alike means Kohli will need to rediscover his rhythm — and soon.
