Adelaide: Star Indian batter Virat Kohli sparked speculation about his future after waving to fans while walking back to the pavilion following a four-ball duck in the second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
After falling for an eight-ball duck in Perth, Kohli once again failed to make an impact at a venue where he has enjoyed tremendous success in the past. He was trapped leg-before by pacer Xavier Bartlett, leaving India in early trouble.
As the 36-year-old made his way back, the Adelaide crowd—many of whom had gathered to witness what they called his “Last Dance” at the venue—rose to applaud him. Kohli responded by raising his hand and gloves, a gesture that many fans interpreted as a possible farewell to ODI cricket. While it is expected to be his last appearance at the ground, his gesture has fueled talk of an imminent retirement announcement.
In 2025, Kohli has featured in nine ODIs, scoring 275 runs at an average of 34.37, including a century and two fifties. He played a key role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy triumph in March, amassing 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50, with a century against Pakistan and a match-winning 84 against Australia in the semifinals.
However, a prolonged absence from the format since that tournament may have affected his rhythm and form. Kohli will be eager to rediscover both as he looks to keep his 2027 Cricket World Cup aspirations alive.
Meanwhile, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, holding a 1–0 lead in the series.
Playing XIs:
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Matthew Short, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
