Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has urged Virat Kohli to rediscover his batting rhythm urgently after consecutive dismissals for zero in the ongoing Australia ODI series. The former captain, who has long dominated the ODI format with record-breaking centuries, now finds himself under pressure to prove his form ahead of India’s 2027 World Cup plans.
This marks the first time in Kohli’s career that he has been dismissed for back-to-back ducks in ODIs. The veteran batter, who returned to international cricket after a seven-month break following the Champions Trophy, was expected to shine against one of his favourite opponents — Australia. However, his comeback hasn’t gone as planned. After an eight-ball duck against Mitchell Starc in Perth, Kohli once again fell without scoring to Xavier Bartlett in Adelaide.
With only one match left in the series, Shastri stressed that Kohli needs to find his rhythm quickly to remain in contention for the next ODI World Cup. Speaking to Fox Sports, Shastri remarked, “He’ll have to get some form pretty quickly. The competition for spots in India’s white-ball setup is intense — no one can afford to relax, not even Kohli or Rohit.”
Indian cricket is currently in a transition phase, with young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, and Abhishek Sharma emerging as strong contenders. Shastri acknowledged Kohli’s stellar record but pointed out that two consecutive ducks would have disappointed the veteran greatly. “His record in one-day cricket is phenomenal, but the game evolves, and competition keeps growing,” he added.
As India prepares for the final ODI in Sydney, all eyes will be on Kohli to make a strong comeback and silence critics questioning his place in the side.