A few hours ago, fast bowler Xavier Bartlett dismissed star batter Virat Kohli in the second ODI, which sparked a mixed reaction among Indian fans.
While some praised Bartlett for his impressive bowling, others made abusive comments on social media after the Australian pacer removed the Indian star.
Virat Kohli’s final ODI tour of Australia has started on a disappointing note, as he registered back-to-back ducks for the first time in his career. After being dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the series opener at Perth, Xavier Bartlett sent Kohli back without scoring at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, October 23.
Virat Kohli Records Back-to-Back Ducks in 2nd ODI Against Australia
The dismissal came during the seventh over of India’s innings after the visitors were sent in to bat first. Kohli walked out following Shubman Gill’s dismissal in the same over.
The right-handed batter initially negotiated Xavier Bartlett’s probing line outside the off stump carefully. However, the pacer surprised him with a sharp inswinger that struck him on the pads, prompting an immediate LBW decision from the umpire.
The batter had a brief discussion with Rohit Sharma about reviewing the call but ultimately chose not to as the timer expired. As he walked back for a four-ball duck, the Adelaide crowd rose in appreciation. Kohli acknowledged the gesture with a small wave of his gloves before leaving the field.
Xavier Bartlett Faces Backlash from Fans After Dismissing Virat Kohli for a Duck
Xavier Bartlett became the center of attention on social media after dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck in the second ODI match. Indian fans flooded Bartlett’s social media accounts with negative comments.
Bartlett’s last Instagram post from August about his IPL stint suddenly received over 3,500 new comments on Thursday. Many users filled the comment section with Kohli-related GIFs and praise for the Indian superstar.
Notably, Bartlett had paid tribute to Kohli after claiming his wicket. The fast bowler stated that the former Indian skipper is one of the best white-ball players of all time.
“Probably one of the best white-ball players of all time. Lucky to get him, I tried to bowl an outswinger, and it nipped back. Probably a bit of pure luck but nice to see the back of him early,” he said during a drinks break.
No One Will Be Able To Believe That – Zaheer Khan Virat Kohli’s Consecutive Ducks
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Zaheer Khan opened up on Virat Kohli’s consecutive ducks in Australia, adding that such phases can happen even to great players. He emphasized that Kohli’s recent failures should not be overanalyzed, as he has already accomplished enough in his career.
“Sometimes you go through these kind of phases. Two games, two ducks, no one will be able to believe that a player of Virat’s calibre has had two failures in succession. But it stops there. It’s something I would not look too much into,” Zaheer told Cricbuzz.
“It’s not like they ( RoKo) are on trial. And that’s the way it should be as these two have achieved enough. He will not be happy with the last two games but it’s just about brushing this aside and starting things afresh,” he added.