Ahead of Virat Kohli’s comeback match, let’s take a look at his numbers in Australia

India and Australia are set to face off in a bilateral series, starting with three ODIs, followed by multiple T20Is. All the spotlight is on India, given the management's transitional changes, showing faith in a younger squad and keeping the 2027 World Cup in mind. However, the biggest highlight is the return of two veterans, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, to the ODI squad, who, for the record, have retired from Test and T20 cricket.

Ahead of the first match, let us take a look at Virat Kohli’s numbers and best knocks in Australia.

Innings and runs

Virat Kohli has played 29 ODI games in Australia, scoring 1,327 runs, which includes five centuries and six half-centuries at an average of 51.03. It is worth noting that the 29 games were not only against Australia but also against other opponents as well on Aussie soil.

Against Australia in Australia, Kohli has so far played 18 matches with 802 runs scored at an average of 47.17. He also scored three centuries and four half-centuries against the Aussies in Australia, which earned him the tag of ‘King’ among Australian media.

Best knocks

117 in Melbourne

India’s ODI tour of Australia in 2016 was an embarrassing show, to say the least, given that the team lost the first four matches and found one victory at the end to salvage its reputation. However, in all five matches, at least one Indian scored a century.

(Credit- Prabhat Khabar)

In the third match, it was Virat Kohli with his 117 runs in 117 balls at a strike rate of 100.00, which included seven boundaries and two sixes. Despite the match going in Australia’s favour, this innings was an anchor from Kohli, who nearly held out till the end to give India a chance to defend by posting a decent score.

106 in Canberra

Kohli scored another century in the same series, i.e., in the fourth game in Canberra after Melbourne. Batting first, Australia had posted a target of 348 runs, which should’ve been gettable. However, the Indian line-up faltered, with seven batters going back to the dugout with single-digit scores.

(Credit- HotStar)

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan put on a gallant fight, scoring 106 and 126 runs, respectively. They received little support from Rohit Sharma’s 41 runs and Ravindra Jadeja’s 24. However, the efforts of four batters weren’t enough to cross the line, as India lost all its wickets by 49.2 overs, standing at 323.

104 in Adelaide

In 2019, after losing the first game out of the three-match ODI series, India put itself into sixth gear, thanks to Kohli’s 106 in Adelaide in the second game. Chasing a target of 298, Kohli scored 106 while he was supported with 43, 32, 24, 55, 25, and 16 runs from the willows of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, and Dinesh Karthik, respectively. Indeed, Kohli stole the limelight, but the victory was a collective effort.

(Credit- Cricket Times)

The Adelaide century was Kohli’s last ODI century against Australia in Australia. Given how both Kohli and Sharma are hoping to make a statement in their comeback series, centuries from both will be exactly what they need to stay in the ODI game for the 2027 World Cup.