Adelaide, 24 October 2025:
Xavier Bartlett ruined Virat Kohli’s farewell at Adelaide Oval as Australia’s next generation powered the hosts to a two-wicket win over India in the second one-day international on Thursday, sealing the three-match series 2-0.
Kohli fell for a second consecutive duck, the first time he has failed to score in back-to-back ODI innings, as Bartlett ripped through India’s top order and finished with 3-39 in his fifth ODI. India were bowled out for 264 in 49.5 overs.
Matt Short (74) and Cooper Connolly (61 not out off 53 balls) produced career-best innings to guide Australia’s chase. Mitch Owen added 36 from 23 balls in his debut innings, helping the home side reach the target with 22 balls remaining.
Short anchored the reply after the early dismissals of openers Mitch Marsh (11) and Travis Head (28). He survived multiple chances, including two dropped catches, before top-edging Harshit Rana with 78 runs still needed.
Connolly and Owen then combined to put on 59 for the sixth wicket and take Australia to the brink of victory. Despite late wickets for Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj, Connolly held firm to complete the chase as Australia snapped a streak of three consecutive ODI series defeats.
India’s fielding let them down, with two straightforward chances going down off Short, while bowler Washington Sundar sank to his knees after one of them was missed at backward point.
Earlier, India struggled after being sent in on a damp surface. Captain Shubman Gill (9) fell early before Kohli walked to the middle to loud applause from the predominantly Indian crowd of nearly 40,000.
Bartlett dismissed Kohli with a perfectly executed setup, three outswingers followed by an inswinger that trapped the Indian great lbw. The 36-year-old acknowledged the crowd as he left the ground, likely for the final time in international cricket, having scored five centuries at Adelaide, his most at any venue.
Rohit Sharma labored early but found his rhythm with two sixes off Owen and added 118 for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer. Rohit made 73 and Iyer 61 before both fell in quick succession to Mitchell Starc (2-62) and Adam Zampa (4-60).
Zampa ran through the middle order, bowling KL Rahul and claiming three more scalps to leave India 8-226 in the 45th over. Axar Patel’s 44 and a late stand between Harshit Rana (24 not out) and Arshdeep Singh (13) lifted India past 250.
Hazlewood was unlucky not to take a wicket, finishing with 0-29 from 10 overs, including two maidens and 43 dot balls.
The teams now head to Sydney for the final ODI on Saturday before a five-match T20 series that will serve as key preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup.
