After two successive ducks, Virat Kohli staged a strong comeback by scoring a half-century in the third ODI between India and Australia on Saturday, October 25. The innings provided a crucial boost to his confidence during a challenging period. Chasing 237 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Kohli came to the crease following Shubman Gillโs dismissal.
He began cautiously with a few boundaries but quickly settled into his rhythm. On the third ball of the 28th over from Cooper Connolly, Kohli flicked the ball to mid-wicket for a single, reaching his 50. The crowd erupted in celebration, giving him a standing ovation.
After two ducks and returning to international cricket following a brief gap, Kohliโs milestone was a thrilling moment both for him and the fans. You can watch the video here:
Hence proved: ๐๐ข๐ฃ๐ณ ๐ฌ๐ข ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฉ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ต๐ข ๐ฉ๐ข๐ช! ๐
๐ Virat Kohli's 75th ODI fifty
๐ His 70th 50+ score in ODI run chases โ most by any batter
๐ Completes 2500 runs against AUS in ODIs#AUSvIND ๐ 3rd ODI | LIVE NOW ๐โฆ pic.twitter.com/Mw6oU1cNzkโ Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 25, 2025
Virat Kohliโs celebration was understated, marked by a relieved smile rather than his usual exuberance. He calmly raised his bat and made his way to the other end to acknowledge his partner, Rohit Sharma. This marked his 75th ODI fifty.
After doubts surrounding his form and position in the team, especially following disappointing outings in the first two matches, Kohliโs return to form was a significant boost.
Virat Kohli Climbs To Second Spot On All-Time ODI Runs List
After crossing the fifty-run mark, Virat Kohli achieved another significant milestone during his innings. A single off the third ball of the 32nd over from Connolly propelled him to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket. Kohli surpassed Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara, who had 14,234 runs from 380 innings.
Remarkably, Kohli reached this feat in just 293 innings. He now trails only the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who leads the list with 18,426 ODI runs from 452 innings. In addition, this half-century marked Kohliโs 70th score of fifty or more in a run chase, overtaking Tendulkarโs record of 69.
The Indian captain will look to maintain this form and deliver consistently as the team builds toward the 2027 World Cup.
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