[WATCH] Virat Kohli dismissed for his first ODI duck in Australia during AUS vs IND 1st ODI

With the dismissal of Rohit Sharma during the first ODI of the three-match series between India and Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth, the noise in the middle increased with the arrival of Virat Kohli, who had been playing his first competitive cricket in more than six months since the end of the IPL 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). 

There were concerns about whether Kohli would be able to get the same form and sharpness of his bat, staying away from the game for a long time. But before the start of the game, he revealed how he had been in good shape in the physical fitness and batting in the net session. He also informed that he hadn’t had any concern due to his incredible game awareness. Kohli was back in the Indian side along with Rohit Sharma. 

See Also: [WATCH] Josh Hazlewood sends back struggling Rohit Sharma during AUS vs IND 1st ODI in Perth

But his comeback for the national side wasn’t a memorable one. On his eighth ball, yet to open the account, Kohli chased the big drive away from his body. The thick outside edge flew to the point region where Cooper Connolly dived to his left to grab a fine catch and sent the veteran back in the hut.

Watch: Virat Kohli dismissed for an eight-ball duck during AUS vs IND 1st ODI

On his first ball of the innings, Kohli got rapped into the pads for one against Josh Hazlewood before he faced Mitchell Starc for a maiden. The left-arm pacer pushed the right-handed batter on the back foot with a short ball before pitching it up away from the stumps. Kohli, as he usually does, went for a booming drive and almost edged it to the slip region.

The Delhi batter missed the good timing of the bat. Moreover, given that he was on a duck for a long time, there was a different desire to break free and open the account. It was an excellent catch at the point region from Connolly.

India had already lost Rohit Sharma before Kohli’s dismissal. And Shubman Gill, the newly appointed captain, followed the two former leaders back in the hut as the tourists found themselves struggling at 25/3 in the ninth over before the rain stopped the proceedings.