For the second time in less than a year, Virat Kohli finds himself sitting on a hat-trick of ducks. In October, 2025, he failed to get off the mark in two consecutive matches against Australia, and seven months later, he is in the same boat again. Once in contention for the Orange Cap, Kohli, after back-to-back ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians, has slipped out of the top 10. To make matters worse, his second duck was a first-baller, handing him his eighth golden duck in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In the same match, Kohli’s opening partner Jacob Bethell, drafted into the XI after Phil Salt flew back home, scored 27 and earned praise from former England spinner Phil Tufnell. Tufnell, along with David Lloyd, Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan, features on the podcast Stick to Cricket, where the quartet discusses the latest developments in the sport. Kohli’s golden duck inevitably became one of the talking points, with the four Englishmen sharing a sarcastic laugh over his dismissal on Sunday.
“Jacob Bethell got 27. Oh, lovely knock,” said Tuffnell, before Lloyd chipped in, “So, the mischief of this. I mentioned that word again, is that you can learn so much from batting with Virat Kohli, you’re out first ball.” The statement was followed by a huge burst of laughter as the British humour shone in all its glory.
What happened the last time Kohli sat on a hat-trick of ducks?
A few hours from now, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Kolkata Knight Riders, the Knights will have Kohli’s wicket on their minds, with assistant coach Shane Watson hoping he falls early again. However, Watson would also be aware that the last time the opposition wished for a hat-trick of Kohli ducks, he responded with an unprecedented scoring spree. The noughts in Perth and Adelaide were followed by a solid and composed 74 in Sydney. And what a run he has been on since.
With three centuries and three fifties in his last seven ODIs for India, Kohli has looked unstoppable. The decision to retire from Test cricket – which completed a year yesterday – seems to have unleashed an even more dominant version of Kohli as he sets his sights on next year’s World Cup in South Africa. With several more ODIs lined up this year – three against Afghanistan next month and three more in England in July, to name a few – Kohli appears determined to chase that trophy. Before that, however, the RCB talisman still has unfinished business with the franchise: guide them to the playoffs and attempt to replicate last year’s title triumph.