Virat Kohli, the modern-day batting maestro, endured a rare setback in his ODI comeback, falling for an eight-ball duck in the first clash against Australia at Perth Stadium. However, cricket fans have every reason to remain optimistic. The second ODI on October 23 at Adelaide Oval offers the perfect platform for Kohli to regain form and chase historic records that have eluded even the greatest international cricketers.
Perth Woes: A Temporary Blip in a Stellar Career
Kohli’s dismissal by Mitchell Starc in Perth was a reminder that even legends have off days. After an aggressive drive sliced to backward point, Kohli walked back to the pavilion without adding to his score. Meanwhile, teammate Rohit Sharma showed glimpses of rhythm but also fell short of converting starts into big runs. Despite this initial hiccup, Kohli’s ODI credentials remain unmatched, especially when playing at his favourite hunting ground—Adelaide Oval.
Having retired from T20Is last year and Tests earlier this year, ODI cricket is now Kohli’s primary arena to leave a lasting mark before his farewell tour concludes. The spotlight will be firmly on him as he aims to prove that the duck in Perth was an anomaly rather than a trend.
Adelaide Oval: The Ultimate Kohli Playground
Adelaide Oval has long been synonymous with Virat Kohli’s batting brilliance. The Delhi-born star first announced himself on Australian soil with a scintillating 116 in Test cricket—a match where the rest of the Indian batting lineup struggled against a ferocious Australian attack. That innings was the beginning of a love affair that has seen Kohli dominate both Tests and ODIs at this iconic venue.
From late 2014 to early 2015, Kohli produced a series of match-winning scores against Australia, including 115, 141, 107, and 90*, leaving bowlers like Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, and Ryan Harris bewildered. In ODIs, he has also shone brightly, scoring centuries in his last two appearances here, including a memorable effort in the 2015 ODI World Cup against Pakistan.
Across formats, Kohli has amassed 975 runs at Adelaide Oval at an astonishing average of 65, including five centuries and four fifties. This makes him the highest non-Australian run-scorer at the venue, surpassing legends like Sir Don Bradman, Steve Smith, Greg Chappell, Shane Watson, and Adam Gilchrist.
Records in Sight: Milestones Await
With 975 runs in 17 innings at Adelaide, Kohli is just 25 runs away from becoming the first visiting player to score 1,000 international runs at the Oval. Brian Lara, with 940 runs in 15 innings, currently holds the second spot, while other greats like Viv Richards (905) and Gordon Greenidge (674) lag behind.
Kohli is also eyeing another historic milestone—most ODI centuries at a single venue. With two ODI centuries and three Test tons already at Adelaide, a hundred in the upcoming clash would see him surpass all other international players, including Australians, to claim the record. This would also tie him with Jack Hobbs’ record for most international centuries by a visiting player at a single Australian ground.
Top international centuries by a visiting player at a single ground in Australia:
Jack Hobbs – 5 centuries (MCG)
Virat Kohli – 5 centuries (Adelaide Oval)
Wally Hammond – 4 centuries (SCG)
VVS Laxman – 4 centuries (SCG)
Sachin Tendulkar – 4 centuries (SCG)
