Until just five nights ago, in 29 One-Day International innings in Australia, Virat Kohli had built a formidable record featuring five centuries and six other fifty-plus scores. Though he had registered eight single-digit dismissals, the dreaded duck had eluded him. However, two games into the current three-match series against Australia, the former Indian captain has found himself dismissed for nought twice. His much-awaited return to international cricket has lasted a mere 12 balls, far from what he or his fans had hoped for when India arrived in Perth a week earlier.
His struggles continued on the flight to Adelaide, a venue that has given him some of his most cherished memories. Kohli has scored more international runs there than any other visiting batter, including five centuries—his maiden Test hundred in 2012 and twin tons during his captaincy debut in 2014. If there was ever a perfect stage for a comeback, the Adelaide Oval seemed destined to be it.
Virat Kohli career under pressure as Adelaide fails to inspire redemption
But only four deliveries into his innings on Thursday, the script unraveled again. The ball, slightly nipping back, caught him off guard. His body leaned outside off, the bat followed late, and the ball struck his front pad flush. The umpire’s finger went up, and Kohli didn’t bother with a review. His brief discussion with Rohit Sharma at the non-striker’s end could not alter the inevitable. It was another early exit, another reminder of how quickly fortunes shift in cricket.
Virat Kohli career faces emotional test amid fan support and self-reflection
As Kohli walked back slowly to the pavilion, he allowed himself a faint, rueful smile. Fans at the Oval, aware it might be his last appearance there, stood and cheered him all the way. Halfway through, he lifted his glove in a subdued wave, acknowledging their love despite his own inner disappointment. It was a small but classy act that reflected his sportsmanship and grace. The conditions in Perth and Adelaide have undeniably tested the teams batting first. Early in the Australian summer, the pitches have offered unpredictable bounce and movement. Kohli, returning after a long layoff, seems to be adjusting to rhythm and timing rather than confidence.
Sydney ODI becomes a defining moment for Kohli’s future
The upcoming Sydney ODI could very well decide the course of his immediate international future. Kohli has never relied on excuses, even though circumstances have often stacked against him. Despite looking in solid form during net sessions and practice games, that rhythm has yet to translate into meaningful runs in actual matches. For a player of his stature, being “in form but out of runs” is a contradiction he cannot afford for long.
Can Kohli silence critics and reclaim his dominance?
Last month in Dubai, Suryakumar Yadav shrugged off his lean patch saying he was “out of runs, not out of form.” For a newly crowned T20I captain, that light-hearted statement worked. For Kohli, however, it’s about more than form—it’s about legacy. The Sydney ODI might not just be another game; it could be the defining chapter in whether Virat Kohli’s career revives its golden spark or continues its uneasy drift.
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