Australia clinched a two-wicket victory over India in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series — but the major talking point was Virat Kohli’s rare failure, as the Indian batting icon was dismissed for a duck for the second time in a row.
It marked the first instance in Kohli’s stellar one-day international career that he has been dismissed for ducks in consecutive innings. The 36-year-old, who boasts a record 51 ODI centuries, was trapped lbw by Australian seamer Xavier Bartlett just four balls into his innings.
Kohli, who retired from Test and T20 formats earlier this year, was playing his first international series since India’s Champions Trophy triumph in March, and his first competitive cricket since the IPL final on June 3. While he had shown glimpses of his old form earlier in the year — scoring 218 runs at an average of 54.50 in the Champions Trophy, including an unbeaten 100 against Pakistan — his return to the 50-over format has been less than ideal.
Coming to the crease at 17-1 in the seventh over, Kohli looked tentative. He left his first two deliveries outside off stump, defended the third, and was pinned in front by the fourth. The review showed the ball crashing into middle stump, leaving Kohli visibly disappointed.
Despite his early exit, Kohli received a warm ovation from the Adelaide crowd as he walked back — a reflection of the mutual respect between him and the venue where he has scored five centuries in 12 innings across formats, averaging over 65 before this game.
India, shaken by Kohli’s dismissal, recovered through skipper Rohit Sharma, who anchored the innings with a hard-fought 73 off 97 balls. Rohit weathered the new-ball burst from Bartlett and Mitchell Starc before accelerating in the middle overs. Contributions from Shubman Gill (46) and Shreyas Iyer (41) helped steady the innings, but Australia’s disciplined bowling restricted India to 264-9 from 50 overs.
Mitchell Starc, returning to full rhythm ahead of the upcoming Ashes series, claimed 2-62 in his 10 overs, while Bartlett backed up his breakthrough against Kohli with another tidy spell. Veteran seamer Josh Hazlewood was unlucky to finish wicketless despite conceding just 29 runs from his full quota, frequently beating the bat with movement off the pitch.
In reply, Australia started steadily before losing opener Travis Head for 28. Known for his aggressive stroke play, Head was unusually cautious, scoring at less than a run a ball before miscuing a catch to mid-on. Fellow Test player Matt Renshaw, auditioning for an Ashes opening spot, made a brisk 30 from 30 before being bowled by Washington Sundar.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey fell cheaply for 9, but Matthew Short provided the backbone of the innings with an impressive 74 off 88 balls, combining fluency with composure against India’s spinners.
As the chase reached its middle phase, all-rounder Mitchell Owen (36) and youngster Cooper Connolly (61* off 54 balls) guided Australia closer to the target. Connolly, known for his fearless batting in domestic cricket, showcased remarkable poise, mixing powerful strokes with smart running. Despite a brief late wobble that saw Starc (4) and Bartlett (3) depart cheaply, Connolly steered Australia home with 22 balls remaining.
The victory sealed the series for Australia, who had already triumphed in the Perth opener, where Kohli made another duck. The hosts have now extended their unbeaten run in bilateral ODI series at home against India to four.
Speaking after the match, Australia captain Pat Cummins praised his side’s composure:
“We’ve shown good balance throughout the series. The bowlers have been outstanding, especially Bartlett — what a series for him. The batting unit has stayed calm in chases, and that’s been the key.”
For India, captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged that his side failed to capitalize on key moments:
“We were 20-30 runs short, and losing early wickets didn’t help. The bowlers tried their best, but credit to Australia — they kept the pressure on. We’ll look to finish the series strongly in Sydney and prepare well for the T20s.”
While the result went against India, all eyes remained on Kohli’s rare dip in form. Known for his consistency and ability to bounce back, his twin ducks will undoubtedly fuel discussions about his rhythm and readiness following a long break from international cricket. However, given his pedigree and experience, few would bet against him responding with a trademark century when the two sides meet again.
Australia’s focus now shifts to maintaining momentum heading into the final ODI in Sydney on Sunday, before the five-match T20I series that follows. For India, it will be a test of resilience — and perhaps the perfect opportunity for Virat Kohli to silence the doubters once more.
