Adelaide: In a poignant scene at the Adelaide Oval on October 23, 2025, Virat Kohli raised his gloves to acknowledge the passionate crowd after being dismissed for a duck in the second ODI against Australia. The gesture, subtle yet powerful, ignited widespread speculation among fans that Kohli might be “hanging up his gloves” at this venue where he has enjoyed immense success across formats.

Kohli, revered as the “King of Adelaide,” has scored five international centuries and amassed 975 runs at this ground, the most by any visiting batsman. Yet, on this day, Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett ended his innings after just four deliveries with a sharp in-swinging LBW, marking Kohli's first duck ever at Adelaide and second consecutive duck in the series, the first such occurrence in his 304-match ODI career.

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The crowd rose to give Kohli a standing ovation, honouring his extraordinary legacy despite the rare setback. His glove-raising salute as he walked off signalled either a heartfelt goodbye to a cherished battleground or fueled retirement rumours that have intensified with his recent dip in form.

Today’s dismissal came as India trailed 0-1 in the three-match series after a rain-affected opener, putting pressure on the team to keep their World Cup preparation on track. Early wickets of Kohli and captain Shubman Gill tested India’s resolve on a lively pitch.