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India Eye Hat-Trick of Wins Against Australia in Adelaide — Kohli’s Fortress Awaits Redemption

  • By Thetripurapost Sports Desk, Adelaide
  • Oct 20, 2025
  • 537

After a shaky start to their Australian tour with a seven-wicket defeat in the series opener, Team India now face a must-win situation in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval on October 23. But the venue offers a silver lining — Adelaide has often been a happy hunting ground for India, and especially for Virat Kohli.

History in India’s Favour

India and Australia have met six times in ODIs at the Adelaide Oval. While Australia dominated the early encounters, winning the first four, India have turned the tide in recent years by winning the last two — in 2012 and 2019.
Now, India will look to complete a hat-trick of victories at this ground.

Dhoni’s 2012 Heroics Still Fresh

India’s first ODI win in Adelaide came back in 2012, when they chased down 270 runs with two balls to spare. Gautam Gambhir’s classy 92 laid the foundation, but it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s legendary finishing that stole the show.

With 13 runs needed off the last over and six wickets down, Dhoni launched Clint McKay for a massive six on the third ball, then capitalized on a no-ball, eventually guiding India home in vintage ‘Captain Cool’ style.

Kohli’s Century Seals 2019 Victory

The last ODI meeting between the two sides here — in January 2019 — once again went India’s way. Australia, powered by Shaun Marsh’s 131, posted 298/9. But India’s chase was orchestrated by Virat Kohli, who struck a sublime 104 off 112 balls, with Dhoni finishing unbeaten on 55.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4 wickets) and Mohammed Shami (3 wickets) led India’s bowling that day.

Adelaide — India’s Happy Ground

Overall, India have enjoyed significant success at Adelaide, winning 9 out of 15 ODIs played here. Only five have been lost, with one match ending in a tie — a record that inspires confidence ahead of Sunday’s clash.

Kohli’s Fortress: Five Centuries at the Oval

Few grounds have brought out the best in Virat Kohli like Adelaide has. Across formats, Kohli has scored 975 runs in 12 matches at an average of 65, including five international centuries — the most by any Indian at this venue.
In ODIs alone, Kohli’s record stands at 244 runs at an average of 83.84, with two centuries to his name. Only Dhoni has more runs in ODIs here for India, with 262 runs at 83.97.

Rohit’s Adelaide Drought

While Kohli thrives, Rohit Sharma continues to search for success at Adelaide. In 12 matches across formats, he’s scored just 287 runs at an average of 19.13, with a highest of 43. In ODIs, he has yet to cross the fifty mark.

Bowling Concerns: Kuldeep & Siraj’s Costly Outings

Among the current squad, only Kohli, Rohit, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj have ODI experience at this ground. Both Kuldeep and Siraj had tough outings in 2019 — conceding 66 and 76 runs respectively in their 10 overs.

The Big Picture

As India prepare for the must-win encounter, history, statistics, and memories of Kohli and Dhoni’s heroics all point toward hope. But the real test will be whether the current squad — led by Rohit Sharma and guided by coach Gautam Gambhir — can extend India’s winning run in Adelaide and keep the series alive.