Virat Kohli Faces Stunning First-Ever ODI Duck in Australia After Eight Balls on International Cricket Return

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Virat Kohli Faces Stunning First-Ever ODI Duck in Australia After Eight Balls on International Cricket Return

Virat Kohli marked an unfortunate return to international cricket, experiencing his first-ever One Day International (ODI) duck in Australia on Sunday at the Optus Stadium in Perth. In a match where India faced off against Australia, Kohli’s performance lasted a mere eight balls.

Kohli’s Brief Innings

The 36-year-old batter stepped onto the pitch after Rohit Sharma had fallen victim to Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over. Following the toss, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh chose to bowl first. This match was Kohli’s first competitive appearance since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final against Punjab Kings.

Dismissal by Starc

Kohli’s return to the crease was short-lived as he lost his wicket to Mitchell Starc during the seventh over, failing to score. Remarkably, this marked the first time in his extensive career that he was dismissed for a duck in ODIs played in Australia. Prior to this match, Kohli had played 30 ODIs in Australia without experiencing a scoreless outing.

Significance of the Match

Starc became the second bowler in international cricket to dismiss Kohli for a duck twice, joining James Anderson.
Kohli chased a pitched-up delivery from Starc, resulting in an outside edge caught by Cooper Connolly at backward point.

India’s Top Order Struggles

India’s top order crumbled, with Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and Shubman Gill all dismissed cheaply. Rohit managed eight runs, while Gill scored just 10 runs off 18 balls. This resulted in the trio accumulating only 18 runs, the lowest combined total for India’s top three in an ODI since the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

Debut Players and Future Implications

For this ODI, India introduced Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Australia saw Matthew Renshaw and Mitchell Owen make their ODI debuts.

As Kohli and Rohit played together again for the first time since India’s 2025 Champions Trophy win, the match holds significant implications for their future in international cricket. Discussions surrounding their longevity in the game add further context to the series against Australia.