When Did Virat Kohli Scored Two Ducks in Back-to-Back ODIs?

Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli’s rough patch continued on Thursday as he suffered yet another early dismissal in the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. The veteran batter was sent back to the pavilion for a duck, marking his second consecutive zero in the series.

Virat walked in during the seventh over after captain Shubman Gill's departure. Kohli faced the first three balls cautiously but was caught right in front of the wicket on the fourth ball of his innings. Xavier Bartlett's sharp inswinger came right into his pads, and the former India captain failed to get it away. The umpire wasted no time in raising his finger, and Kohli, knowing he was beaten, chose not to review after a chat with Rohit Sharma.

Virat Kohli Ducks in Adelaide Creates a Disastrous Record

Virat Kohli ducks in ODI in two successive matches is a rare setback for the modern-day legend. He recorded back-to-back ducks for the first time in his ODI career during the second match against Australia in Adelaide. Kohli is probably the best ODI batsman in the world and has won several games for India. However, his recent return to international cricket hasn't been fruitful.

Skipper Shubman Gill’s team faced early trouble as Rohit Sharma struggled to get going against Josh Hazlewood’s perfect opening spell. Rohit looked uneasy with the movement of the new ball, playing out two consecutive maidens and finding it hard to rotate the strike.

As the scoring rate pressure was rising, Gill tried to break free by stepping out and aiming for a lofted shot over mid-off, but he mistimed it. Australian captain Mitchell Marsh timed his jump to perfection and took a smart catch to hand Australia their first wicket.

After losing two early wickets, Rohit and Shreyas took charge of the Indian innings and stitched a decent partnership. Rohit scored his 59th half-century in ODI cricket and became the first Indian batter to score 1000 runs against Australia on their home soil in ODIs. Shreyas Iyer also scored a fine fifty and gave full support to Rohit. This Rohit-Iyer partnership took India out of early trouble, however both of them missed out on the three-figure mark.

Virat Kohli’s Reaction Raises Retirement Rumors

For the first time in his ODI career, Virat Kohli recorded two consecutive ducks, which is an unexpected low point of his career. He faced eight dot balls before getting out in Perth, and his struggles continued in Adelaide, where he lasted only four deliveries.

The back-to-back failures immediately set off Virat Kohli retirement chatter on social media. He might be one of the best batsmen in the world but there are speculations if the 36-year-old might be nearing the end of his illustrious international career.

Adding to the assumption was Kohli’s gesture as he walked back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the second ODI, waving to the crowd with his gloves in hand. Some fans are interpreting it as a subtle farewell, with Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting for an opportunity, and the competition for batting spots in Team India is tougher than ever, even a legend like Kohli faces pressure to perform.

Before the first ODI in Perth, Virat Kohli spoke confidently about his fitness and readiness for the series, even confirming his ambition to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, his performances so far have been below the expectations set by his own words, and now he has just the 3rd ODI of the series to somewhat stay in the scheme of things for the selectors.