Virat Kohli, often considered one of the best batters in one-day international history, faced an unusual setback on Thursday, October 23. For the first time in his remarkable career, he recorded back-to-back ducks in ODIs. His struggle continued in the ongoing second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. He was out without scoring after facing just four balls.
Virat Kohli Scores Back-to-Back Ducks in Second ODI
Kohli came in at No. 3 after an early wicket. His time at the crease ended quickly when Australian bowler Xavier Bartlett trapped him leg-before on the 5th ball of the seventh over. This dismissal disappointed Indian fans, who hoped for a strong comeback after his rare failure in Perth earlier this week. In that match, the series opener at Optus Stadium on October 19, Kohli also went out for a duck after facing eight balls.
These two consecutive zeroes represent an unusual phase for the prolific right-hander, who has been consistently reliable in the 50-over format. His unexpected struggle is surprising, especially given his excellent record at the Adelaide Oval, which is one of his favorite grounds. In his last two ODI games at this venue, he scored centuries: 107 against Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup and 104 against Australia in 2019.
18th duck in ODIs
Thursday’s dismissal marked Kohli’s 18th duck in ODIs. He now ranks third among Indian players for the most ducks in this format. Only Sachin Tendulkar (20) and Javagal Srinath (19) have more ducks for India in ODIs.
Worldwide, the record for the most ducks in one-day cricket belongs to Sri Lankan great Sanath Jayasuriya, who failed to score in 34 of his 445 ODI innings from 1989 to 2011. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi is second on that list with 30 ducks in 398 ODIs. For Virat Kohli, these rare consecutive failures are likely to motivate him for a comeback. Fans will expect this champion batter to recover quickly when India plays the final ODI in Sydney.
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