Virat Kohli experienced a frustrating sense of deja vu during the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot on Tuesday. His dismissal closely mirrored the way he lost his wicket in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia. Once again, the stumps were rattled as he attempted to play a shot to a delivery tight to his body.
A Familiar Mode of Dismissal
Kohli was batting on 23 runs on a slow Rajkot pitch. The conditions felt quite similar to those in Ahmedabad during the World Cup final. New Zealand medium pacer Kristian Clarke delivered a length ball outside the off stump. The delivery angled back in sharply towards the batter.
Kohli tried to guide the ball through the point and third man region. However, he got a thick inside edge. The ball deflected off his bat and crashed into the stumps. The Indian star walked back to the pavilion looking visibly disappointed. Clarke had removed him in the 24th over of India's innings.
Echoes of the World Cup Final
This dismissal bore a striking resemblance to his exit in the World Cup final. Australian captain Pat Cummins had bowled a short ball angled into Kohli's body. With little room to maneuver and low bounce from the pitch, Kohli dragged that ball onto his stumps as well. That moment triggered wild celebrations in the Australian camp at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The Rajkot dismissal followed an almost identical pattern. It highlighted a potential vulnerability when facing deliveries cramping him for space. Kohli had begun his innings with careful intent before the fatal shot.
A Silver Lining: Breaking Tendulkar's Record
Despite the disappointing dismissal, Kohli achieved a significant milestone earlier in the same match. He became India's highest run-scorer against New Zealand in ODI history. The former captain surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's tally during the second match of the series.
Kohli entered this game level with Tendulkar after scoring 93 runs in the first ODI. He needed just one run to claim the record. The champion batter achieved it in dramatic fashion. He hit a boundary off the very first ball he faced in Rajkot. That shot took him to the top of the Indian list against New Zealand in the 50-over format.
The Numbers Behind the Milestone
Kohli now has 1,773 ODI runs against New Zealand. This total moves him past Sachin Tendulkar's previous Indian record of 1,750 runs. However, one batter still remains ahead of him in the overall list. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting holds the top position with 1,971 ODI runs against the Black Caps.
Ponting is now the only player ahead of Kohli in this specific rivalry. The Indian maestro will likely target that record in future encounters. His consistency against New Zealand has been remarkable throughout his career.
Match Context and Team Changes
Earlier in the day, New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and elected to bowl first. India had won the opening match in Vadodara by four wickets. This victory gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The final ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.
Both teams made one change to their playing elevens. New Zealand brought in left-arm spin all-rounder Jayden Lennox. They left out wrist spinner Adithya Ashok. India were forced into a change due to injury.
Washington Sundar suffered a rib injury during the first ODI. The all-rounder was ruled out of the entire series. The selectors added young batter Ayush Badoni to the squad. All-rounder Nitish Reddy came into the playing XI as Sundar's replacement.
The series now moves to its decisive phase. India will look to seal the series in Indore. Kohli will aim to bounce back from his dismissal and add to his growing tally against New Zealand.
