When Virat Kohli feel for a second-ball duck against Bangladesh at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, it was the 10th time he had failed to get off the mark in Tests. In a Test career spanning 83 games and 139 innings, it just shows how difficult it has been for the opposition bowlers to send back Virat Kohli to the hut even before he gets the scoreboard ticking. Kohli made his Test debut against the West Indies at Kingston way back on June 20, 2011. Since then there has not been any looking back.
Here’s the list of rare occasions when Kohli failed to get off the mark.
Versus West Indies, June 2011 (Bridgetown): Caught at second slip by Darren Sammy off the bowling off Ravi Rampaul.
Versus Australia, December 2011 (Melbourne): Second innings of the game and Virat Kohli is trapped leg before by Ben Hilfenhaus with a ball that nipped back off the seam. Golden duck for Kohli.
Versus England, July 2014 (Lord’s): Second innings golden duck as Kohli shoulders arms to a Liam Plunket delivery that nips back and hits the stump.
Versus England, August 2014 (Manchester): Caught at first slip by Alastair Cook nicking a regulation outswinger from James Anderson.
Versus Australia, February 2017 (Pune): Caught at first slip by Peter Handscombe of Mitchell Starc. He chased a wide delivery and it was a soft dismissal.
Versus Sri Lanka, November 2017 (Kolkata): leg before to Suranga Lakmal to a delivery that sharply came in. Never looked confident during the 11 deliveries he faced.
Versus England, September 2018 (London): First ball duck for Kohli as he is caught behind by Jonny Bairstow of Stuart Broad.
Versus Australia, December 2018 (Melbourne): Second innings duck for Kohli. Caught at slip by Marcus Harris off Pat Cummins. In the first innings Kohli had scored 82.
Versus West Indies, August 2019 (Kingston): First ball duck for Kohli in India’s second innings as he is caught by wicket-keeper J Hamilton off Kemar Roach.
Versus Bangladesh, November 2019 (Indore): Leg before to Bangladesh pacer Abu Jayed. Kohli reviews the decision, but it still goes in the bowler’s favour.
Incidentally, Friday’s dismissal for a duck is only the third time that Kohil has failed to open his account on home soil. Mitchell Starc and Suranga Lakmal have been the two other bowlers to have dismissed Kohli for zero on Indian pitches.
Between the second and third ducks, Kohli opened his account in 36 successive innings, the most by an Indian batsman.
Kohli has registered four first ball ducks.
PNN