CHENNAI — Virat Kohli's quest for form hit a new, unprecedented low as he was dismissed for a duck in consecutive one-day international innings for the first time in his storied 289-match career, a pivotal factor in Australia's thrilling two-wicket victory to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
The decisive match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday saw the hosts bowled out for 248, a total that seemed competitive until a brilliant, counter-attacking 66 from Mitchell Marsh and a composed, unbeaten 47 from Ashton Turner guided the visitors home with just two balls to spare, sparking wild celebrations in the Australian camp.
A Rare Failure for the Modern Great
The spotlight, however, was fixed firmly on Virat Kohli. After being cleaned up by Mitchell Starc for a four-ball duck in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam, the champion batsman lasted just three deliveries in Chennai. Facing the express pace of Starc, Kohli pushed at a delivery angled across him, only to feather a thin edge through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. The stadium, buzzing with anticipation just moments before, fell into a stunned silence.
This back-to-back failure marks a significant, albeit likely temporary, blip in Kohli's ODI journey. Before this series, he had been dismissed for a duck only nine times in his entire ODI career. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, commentating on the match, expressed his disbelief, stating, "You just don't expect to see Virat Kohli out for a duck in two consecutive games. It's as rare as a solar eclipse."
Australia's Bowling Prowess and Fielding
While Kohli's dismissal was the headline, Australia's victory was built on a foundation of disciplined bowling and exceptional fielding. Mitchell Starc was the chief destroyer with the new ball, but he was ably supported by the entire attack. Sean Abbott provided crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs, and the spin duo of Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar applied relentless pressure, never allowing the Indian batters to break free.
The Australian fielding was a masterclass in intensity. David Warner and Steve Smith pulled off stunning catches in the deep, while Marnus Labuschagne was a livewire in the inner ring, saving countless runs. This all-round effort restricted India to a sub-par total, with only KL Rahul (52) and Hardik Pandya (38) offering significant resistance after the top-order collapse.
Australian captain Steve Smith praised his team's collective effort in the post-match presentation: "I thought our bowlers were outstanding today. To have them four or five down early, with Kohli gone again, was exactly the start we needed. The fielding backed it up perfectly."
The Chase: Marsh Sets the Tone
Chasing 249 on a tricky Chepauk surface that offered turn and variable bounce, Australia's innings mirrored India's in its top-order stutter. Mitchell Marsh, however, played a knock that shifted the momentum decisively. He took on the Indian spinners, particularly Kuldeep Yadav, using his feet and power to disrupt their rhythm. His 66 came off just 62 balls and included four massive sixes.
When Marsh fell, caught brilliantly by a backtracking Shubman Gill, the game was back in the balance. India's spinners, led by the ever-reliable Ravindra Jadeja, began to squeeze the run rate, and regular wickets kept the home side's hopes alive. The key moments in the tense finale included:
- Labuschagne's Grit: A vital 28-run knock that stabilized the innings after a mini-collapse.
- Turner's Composure: Playing the role of the finisher to perfection, rotating strike and finding boundaries.
- Starc's Late Blow: A crucial six in the penultimate over to ease the mounting pressure.
Questions Loom for World Cup Year
With the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup scheduled in India later this year, this series defeat, and particularly Kohli's form, will raise questions for the Indian think tank. While one poor series does not define a player of Kohli's caliber, the nature of his dismissals—succumbing to the left-arm angle of Starc—will be a point of analysis. The team management will be keen to ensure this is a minor aberration and not the start of a prolonged lean patch.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, while disappointed, tried to downplay the significance of Kohli's slump. "Virat is a quality player. We have all seen what he can do. It's two innings. He has been training well and I am not worried at all. He will be back scoring runs before we know it," he assured reporters.
A Statement Victory for Australia
For Australia, this series win on Indian soil is a massive confidence booster. To come from 0-1 down after losing the first match in Mumbai and win the next two, with key players like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood missing, speaks volumes about their depth and resilience. It demonstrates their ability to adapt to subcontinental conditions and win under pressure, a valuable asset heading into a World Cup year.
As the dust settles in Chennai, the narrative is twofold. Australia celebrates a hard-fought, character-building series victory that positions them as one of the favorites for the upcoming World Cup. For India and its legion of fans, the hope is that the sight of Virat Kohli walking back to the pavilion for a golden duck is a fleeting anomaly, a statistical oddity in a career defined by relentless run-scoring, rather than a sign of a deeper issue.