Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated comeback to international cricket hit an unexpected snag as he fell for a second consecutive duck in the second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval on Thursday. This marked a first in his illustrious career, as Xavier Bartlett sent the Indian captain back to the pavilion without scoring.
Bartlett rocks India's top order
Bartlett's scorching spell destroyed India's leading order very early. In the same inning, he dismissed Shubman Gill for 9, adding to India's early miseries. Kohli, retiring to the pavilion, raised his gloves in a gesture that seemed to show appreciation for the crowd's fawning support. Whether this was solely out of politeness or had a deeper meaning is yet to be known.
Fans took to X (formerly Twitter), sharing reactions and speculations about Kohli's glove gesture after his dismissal.
An X user wrote, "The way Virat raised his gloves scared me! Hope this isn’t his last match." Another user posted, "Kohli showing his gloves to the crowd while walking back! We all know what that means. Thank you, King Kohli. I’ve always loved you.".
Adelaide Oval: A ground of memories
Despite the recent setback, Kohli has a good record at the Adelaide Oval in ODIs. In four innings, he has compiled 244 runs at a high average of 61.00, with two centuries to his name. His highest score here is 107, and one of these centuries is of historical significance-it was against Pakistan in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, and he became the first Indian to get to a World Cup hundred against their traditional rivals.
Kohli now stands at an incredible milestone equal to Sachin Tendulkar, both having 51 centuries in one kind of cricket, Kohli in ODIs and Tendulkar in Tests. A century in this series would make Kohli the only record holder with 52 ODI hundreds, cementing his legacy further.
The series resumed with Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh winning the toss and deciding to bowl first. Australia has the three-match series 1-0, having won the first ODI by seven wickets at Perth Stadium.
