Virat Kohli's Love Affair with Adelaide Endures Despite Rare Back-to-Back Ducks

Adelaide, Oct 23: Even the most storied love stories have moments of heartbreak. For Virat Kohli, the Adelaide Oval, a venue that has witnessed some of his finest cricketing triumphs, delivered an unexpected twist in its latest chapter.

In the second ODI of the three-match series against Australia, Kohli was trapped leg before by Xavier Bartlett for a four-ball duck, marking his second consecutive duck in the series. Remarkably, this was the first time in his illustrious career that the Indian maestro has been dismissed for back-to-back zeroes in One Day Internationals.

For a man who has made Adelaide one of his most productive and emotionally significant venues, this double setback was as rare as it was symbolic, even champions face days when

the script doesn't go their way.

Adelaide: The Stage of Kohli's Greatest Performances

Few cricket venues have defined Kohli's career as much as the Adelaide Oval. From his maiden Test century in 2011-12 to twin tons as captain in 2014-15, the ground has been the canvas for some of his most iconic innings.

Test Cricket Brilliance

Across four Test matches at Adelaide, Kohli amassed 509 runs at an average of 63.62, with three centuries and one fifty.

2011-12: Scored his maiden Test hundred (116), announcing his arrival as a dependable middle-order batter.

2014-15: In his first match as India's Test captain, Kohli struck twin centuries (115 & 141), nearly leading India to a famous win.

2018-19: Though his personal scores were modest (3 & 34), India began their historic first-ever Test series win in Australia at this very ground under Kohli's captaincy.

2020-21 & 2024-25: Even in later years, Adelaide remained central to his narrative, his grit visible in every innings, even as the runs tapered off.

With 509 Test runs, Kohli sits among the top non-Australian scorers at Adelaide, behind legends like Brian Lara (610) and Viv Richards (552).

ODIs: From Glory to a Rare Low

Before the recent setbacks, Kohli's Adelaide ODI record was impeccable, two centuries in four matches, averaging 61.00.

2015 World Cup vs Pakistan: His 107 off 126 balls powered India to a memorable win.

2019 vs Australia: A masterclass chase of 104 off 112 balls reaffirmed his title as the chase king, earning him Player of the Match.

This made his back-to-back ducks in October 2025 all the more surprising. For a batter of his stature, who thrives under pressure, Adelaide has been a ground of fond memories, which is why these rare failures may only add another emotional layer to his enduring relationship with the venue.

T20Is: The Modern Maestro's Playground

Kohli's T20I exploits in Adelaide have been just as impressive, 154 runs in two innings at a strike rate of 155.55.

2016: Scored a sublime 90 against Australia*, one of his best T20 knocks.

2022 T20 World Cup vs Bangladesh: His unbeaten 64 off 44 balls under lights reaffirmed his dominance, earning him Player of the Match once again.

A Legacy Bigger Than a Scorecard

For someone who has scored over 75 international centuries, moments like this are reminders that even legends are human. Kohli's recent ducks might sting, but they hardly dent his towering Adelaide legacy, built over a decade of dominance, passion, and poise.

As he continues to march toward the twilight of his career, Adelaide will remain forever entwined with Kohli's cricketing soul, a ground that saw him grow from a promising youngster to one of the game's modern greats.