Ex-captain MS Dhoni’s joke has come back to life as Team India batting star Virat Kohli prepares to return to the iconic Adelaide Oval for the second ODI match against Australia on Thursday, October 23. Due to Kohli’s exceptional numbers across forms at the site, Dhoni joked that the local authorities might consider naming a stand after him.
The legendary keeper-batter said it after his 90-run performance on 55 balls during the first of three T20 matches with Australia in Adelaide in 2016. The right hand batter was still unharmed and the Men in Blue secured a match winning score of 188/3 in 20 overs. Eventually the tourists led the series victoriously by 37 runs.
During the press conference after the game, MS Dhoni said:
“I think in Adelaide, they’ll be naming a stand after him, the amount of runs he’s scoring. By the time he ends his career, quite a few Australian grounds will have his stand.”
Across formats, the Delhi-born cricketer has scored 975 runs at the Adelaide Oval. This was where Kohli scored his first Test century in Australia. The 36-year-old has scored 527 runs in Tests, 244 in ODIs, and 204 in T20Is at Adelaide Oval.
Virat Kohli Shines with Century as India Last Played an ODI in Adelaide
The Men in Blue will play their first ODI in the Adelaide Oval since 2019. Virat Kohli, the captain of the 50-over rubber in 2019, smoked 104 on 112 balls as the visitors sought a hard-earned 299 to win. India followed it in four balled down and the skipper was made the Player of the Match and the score of Shaun Marsh of 131 was in the shadow.
The Indian team is in its usual predicament since they lost the first ODI in Perth and they have to win in Adelaide in order to put the series on even footing. The 36 year old must embrace the possibility of ensuring a series decider on Saturday October 25 at Sydney.
