In what can only be described as a surprising twist during the 3rd T20 International between India and Afghanistan, cricket aficionado Virat Kohli experienced a rare moment of fallibility. The once invincible-looking maestro of the cricket field found himself facing an ignominious feat as he succumbed to his first golden duck in a T20I match. The iconic batsman, returning to the spotlight of the T20 format after a prolonged hiatus of 14 months, faced an untimely dismissal at the hands of Fareed Ahmad in this crucial encounter.
The day’s play, which had the potential to be another chapter in Kohli’s illustrious career, instead took an unexpected turn. Kohli, donning the prestigious jersey of the Indian national team, attempted to attack a back-of-a-length delivery from the Afghan bowler. Much to the dismay of millions of fans tuning in globally, he failed to connect as intended and, to the amazement of his teammates, the ball looped towards mid-off. Afghanistan’s captain, Ibrahim Zadran, was positioned perfectly for what turned into a simple catch, thus scripting an unwelcome record for Kohli.
This unfortunate blip not only marked Kohli’s first golden duck in the shorter format of the game but also registered his fifth duck in T20Is. The moment was somber not just for him but also for cricket enthusiasts who revere his batting prowess. However, this was more than just a personal setback. With this dismissal, Kohli inadvertently moved past a record set by his idol, Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli’s thirty-fifth duck in international cricket – spanning Tests, ODIs, and T20Is – nudged him ahead of Tendulkar’s thirty-four, placing him on an unwanted list of most ducks by an Indian international cricketer.
Digging deeper into the annals of cricket history, we find the list dominated by bowlers, with Zaheer Khan leading the tally at forty-three ducks and Ishant Sharma not far behind with forty. Harbhajan Singh’s thirty-seven outings without troubling the scorers place him in a not-so-enviable third position. Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble are now tied at thirty-five ducks each, followed by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, with one duck fewer.
In this game, India’s selection reflected a blend of experience and youth. The playing XI consisted of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Avesh Khan. Afghanistan, determined to make a statement on the field despite the underdog status, fielded a competitive squad featuring the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.
The match, thus, served as a vivid reminder of cricket’s unpredictable nature; even the greatest can falter, and records are as often about the valleys as they are about the peaks. For Virat Kohli, whose career has been studded with glittering accomplishments and formidable records, the golden duck against Afghanistan stands as a stark juxtaposition. Nonetheless, the cricketing fraternity knows well that a champion like him is bound to soar back, for it is in the comeback that the true spirit of a sportsman is tested. And Virat Kohli has time and again proven his mettle in bouncing back stronger, reinforcing why millions across the globe tune in when he walks out to bat.
