Virat Kohli’s Adelaide farewell ends in back-to-back ducks

Virat Kohli’s final outing at Adelaide Oval ended in heartbreak as he was dismissed for a duck — his second consecutive in this ODI series against Australia — during the second match on October 23, 2025. Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett trapped him LBW with a sharp in-swinger after just four deliveries, marking the first time in Kohli’s illustrious ODI career that he recorded back-to-back ducks.

The rare failure added a bittersweet note to what could be his last appearance at one of his most cherished venues. The Adelaide crowd, aware of the moment’s significance, stood in unison to applaud. With 976 runs and five centuries at the ground — the most by any visiting batter across all formats — Kohli raised his right hand and gloves in quiet acknowledgment, a gesture that left fans emotional and reignited speculation about his ODI future.

India, meanwhile, had a dreadful start, losing Gill and Kohli inside the first seven overs to Bartlett’s probing length deliveries. The ball seamed in and occasionally held its line, forcing edges and mistimed shots. The Indian top order found scoring particularly tough as only 29 runs came from the first 10 overs — their lowest powerplay total in two years.

Rohit Sharma initially struggled, playing and missing several times against Josh Hazlewood’s tight lines and extra bounce. He faced 53 balls for his first 30 runs, underlining how grippy and slow the surface played early on. The moisture under the pitch kept the ball moving off the seam, punishing any drive played too early on the up.

Once the sun broke through and the ball softened after the 15-over mark, Rohit began to find rhythm. He counter-attacked with two sixes and a boundary off Mitchell Owen’s over, shifting the momentum in India’s favor. Shreyas Iyer complemented him by rotating strike smartly and punishing anything loose.

Their 100-plus stand for the third wicket steadied India after the early collapse. Rohit’s 73 off 97 balls was a blend of grit and composure before Mitchell Starc dismissed him — caught behind off a length delivery outside off. Iyer’s 61 was equally crucial, featuring fluent wrist play through mid-wicket and cover after getting out to Zampa on the 32nd over.

But even as India found stability, it was Kohli’s rare dismissal — his first instance of back-to-back ODI ducks and a possible farewell to Adelaide — that defined the day, reminding fans of the deep bond between a champion and a ground that has witnessed some of his finest chapters.