It was not the farewell Virat Kohli or his fans had envisioned. The former Indian captain’s much-anticipated swansong at the Adelaide Oval ended in heartbreak on Thursday as he was dismissed for a duck in the second ODI against Australia.
Confronted with merely four deliveries, Kohli was leg-before trapped by medium pacer Xavier Bartlett, who bowled a sharp inswinger that caught the batting master on the crease. The on-field umpire’s call was confirmed after consulting partner Rohit Sharma briefly and being advised against a review. The moment carried extra poignancy as the 35-year-old walked back slowly, acknowledging the Adelaide crowd with a gentle wave — a gesture met with a thunderous standing ovation from fans who knew they were witnessing the end of an era at one of Kohli’s favourite venues. With 976 runs, he remains the highest-scoring visiting batter at the historic ground.
Kohli was dismissed in a suspenseful seventh over when Australia pounced twice in rapid succession.
Sent in to bat, India’s defensive beginnings came apart at the seams as captain Shubman Gill was caught behind, while Kohli departed early as well — both wickets taken by Bartlett within three balls. For Kohli, it was another rare low in his illustrious career. The experienced batter had also scored a duck in the first game of the series in Perth, where he edged a wide ball by Mitchell Starc — his first-ever ODI duck in Australia.
His off-side woes continued in Adelaide; though he left deliveries early at first, he was caught out by one that seamed back hard.In the lead-up to the match, videos of Kohli’s intense net session had raised hopes among fans. The timing, the footwork, and the trademark cover drives suggested a man ready to produce one last masterclass at his beloved Adelaide Oval. But cricket, as it often does, had other plans.
As Kohli got dismissed, the stands fell silent, but captain Rohit Sharma stabilized India’s innings with a composed 73, displaying grit and resolve against a clinical Australian attack. After a slow beginning — in which he toiled to 19 from 43 balls and just about got away with a run-out call in the powerplay — Rohit changed gears. He anchored key partnerships through the middle overs, mixing caution with authority to bring up his fifty before falling to a miscued pull shot off Josh Hazlewood.
The series marks a comeback for both Rohit and Kohli after a long layoff since IPL 2025, and while Kohli’s struggles have drawn concern, Rohit’s return to form will be a welcome sign for India ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy.
For the present, however, Adelaide saw a poignant moment of cricket — not merely a wicket, but the unobtrusive curtain call of one of the game’s greatest performers on one of his most beloved stages.
