Australian fast bowler Xavier Bartlett found himself in trouble online after he dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck (zero runs) during the second ODI between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
For most young bowlers, getting a superstar like Kohli out is a dream come true. But for Bartlett, it quickly turned into a nightmare as some emotional fans of Kohli began trolling him on social media.
What Happened
Bartlett, 26, got Kohli out leg-before-wicket (LBW) without scoring — the Indian legend’s second duck in a row in the series and the first time in his ODI career he has been dismissed for zero in back-to-back innings. Australia went on to win the match by two wickets and seal the series.
However, soon after the match, Bartlett’s Instagram account was flooded with thousands of angry comments from upset Kohli fans. Some were abusive or mocking, calling Kohli Bartlett’s “father.” His older post from August, which had a photo of him with Kohli during the IPL, received over 4,000 comments in just hours.
Support for Bartlett
This reaction is similar to what fellow Australian pacer Mitchell Starc faced earlier in the series after also getting Kohli out for a duck.
Despite the trolling, Bartlett has received strong support from his teammates and the cricket community, who condemned the online abuse.
Bartlett’s Reaction
Speaking after the match, Bartlett stayed humble about the big wicket. He said,
“He’s probably one of the best white-ball players of all time. I was lucky — tried to bowl an outswinger, it nipped back. Bit of luck, but nice to get him early.”
Kohli’s Rare Struggle
This is the first time in Kohli’s long ODI career that he has scored ducks in two consecutive matches. It’s also only the second time he’s been dismissed for zero on Australian soil.
The 36-year-old, who has retired from Tests and T20s, will look to return to form in the third and final ODI at the SCG on Saturday.
