Back-to-back ducks for Virat Kohli; India in trouble at Adelaide

In a rare back-to-back failure, Indian batting star Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck in the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. Kohli, who had also fallen for zero in the previous match in Perth, was trapped leg-before by Xavier Bartlett after facing just four deliveries.

Bartlett, who had already struck by removing India’s captain Shubman Gill earlier in the same over, delivered another major blow by sending Kohli back without scoring, leaving India in deep trouble inside the Powerplay. The double strike put India on the defensive early in the innings as Australia tightened their grip on the match.

Adding to India’s woes, Rohit Sharma looked unsettled against Josh Hazlewood, surviving a few close calls but struggling to rotate the strike. Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, capitalised on early movement after electing to bowl first. The hosts made three changes—bringing in Alex Carey, Xavier Bartlett, and Adam Zampa—while India fielded an unchanged XI from the previous game.

Kohli’s successive ducks have raised eyebrows, especially given his consistent record in Adelaide, one of his most successful venues. The focus now shifts to how India’s middle order responds after the early collapse.