Virat Kohli keeps superstar aura aside when Ravi Shastri reminds him about his ducks: ‘Almost 37 in not too many days’

Virat Kohli made a candid admission after Ravi Shastri reminded him of his back-to-back ducks against Australia.

Virat Kohli, who is arguably the greatest ODI batter of all time, had a terrible time in the first two ODIs against Australia as he registered back-to-back ducks in Perth and Adelaide. Hence, it's safe to assume that the pressure was truly on the King, considering the outside chatter about his future and whether he has enough fight left in him to make the trip to South Africa for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, the third and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground welcomed Kohli in some familiar territory as India were asked to chase by Australia.

Virat Kohli scored 74 runs in the third and final ODI against Australia. (PTI)

Harshit Rana returned with four wickets as India bowled out Australia for 236, and the target of 237 was well within Kohli's arc. Known as the chasemaster, the 36-year-old had the stage set, and what made the matter easier was the fact that Rohit Sharma was going strong at the other end.

Hence, it is no surprise that Kohli returned with an unbeaten knock of 74 off 81 balls. He also formed an unbeaten stand of 168 runs for the second wicket with Rohit (121*) as India chased down 237 with nine wickets in hand and 69 balls to spare.

After the contest had ended, Rohit and Virat were interviewed by Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist for Fox Cricket. It was then that the former India coach reminded Kohli about his two ducks.

Kohli's response floored one and all as he shed his superstar aura for a moment, speaking about how he felt human and saying it seemed to him that he had forgotten how to score a run.

It is worth mentioning that the three-match series against Australia marked Kohli's first international assignment after the Champions Trophy win. These matches also marked his first competitive games after the Indian Premier League (IPL) win for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Here is the full exchange between Kohli and Shastri

Shastri: Two ducks out of the pond. The ducks are finally out.

Kohli: Good to be out of the pond, honestly. Well, you know, I kind of lost. You've scored so many runs in international cricket, but then the game shows you everything, even at this stage. Almost 37 in not many days and still can feel like don't know how to get a run. I mean, this game is amazing. That's why we love batting, we love batsmanship. And it's so challenging when it's not going your way, and just to find your rhythm again. Of course, going out there, having a situation to play in, always is something that always brings out the best in me.

Kohli, who has been involved in several memorable partnerships with Rohit over the years, stated that the two senior pros are well aware of how to build the innings. He also complimented the Hitman for making his job easier at the other end.

“When Rohit's already batting there, it's pretty easy to kind of keep rotating strike. We understand each other's game pretty well. So, it's really good to have a big partnership and another match-winning partnership for us,” said Kohli.