Virat Kohli’s golden run at the Adelaide Oval hit a roadblock as he fell for his second consecutive duck of the series, trapped LBW by Xavier Bartlett in the 2nd ODI.
Facing his fourth delivery, Kohli was undone by a classic nip-backer from Bartlett that seamed in sharply and crashed into his pads. The umpire’s finger went up instantly, and replays confirmed it would’ve hit the middle of middle stump. Kohli didn’t even consider a review.
This was Kohli’s first LBW dismissal to a pacer in ODIs since March 2023, when Nathan Ellis, the very bowler Bartlett replaced for this match, had trapped him in similar fashion in Visakhapatnam. The coincidence wasn’t lost on the Adelaide crowd, which had expected another special innings from the Indian legend on a ground where he’s scored over 500 runs in Tests and averages 61 in ODIs.
This series against Australia has carried added weight for India’s senior pair, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both now in their mid-30s and entering a new chapter as ODI specialists. Kohli’s back-to-back ducks — following his eight-ball dismissal to Mitchell Starc in Perth — have come at a time when the scrutiny on India’s veterans has grown sharper.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar had recently stressed that “it would be silly to put them on trial every game,” while head coach Gautam Gambhir urged everyone to “stay in the present,” insisting that Kohli and Rohit’s experience remains invaluable even as the team transitions under new captain Shubman Gill. But the duo still need runs to push their case in a team that is increasingly packed with talent.
with just one match left in the series, the pressure is undeniable. For a player whose iconic 82* against Pakistan at this very ground remains one of cricket’s greatest modern knocks, this duck was a major blow.
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India’s top order woes continued as the visitors slipped to 17/2 within the first seven overs. Captain Shubman Gill’s mistimed lofted shot off Xavier Bartlett was followed by Virat Kohli’s LBW dismissal four balls later, leaving Rohit Sharma stranded at the other end. Rohit, who had earlier survived a run-out scare, looked unusually watchful, crawling to 8 off 28 balls when Kohli fell.
With both senior batters under pressure and India already trailing 0-1 in the series, the cautious approach reflected the team’s intent to rebuild but also underlined how effectively Australia’s new-ball bowling, led by Josh Hazlewood and Xavier Bartlett after Starc was removed early, had exploited the early movement on offer at the Adelaide Oval.
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