Virat Kohli Signs Autographs As Fans Wish 'Happy Diwali' To Batter Ahead Of Adelaide ODI

Ahead of India's second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval, Virat Kohli shared the festive cheer, stopping to sign autographs and greet fans. Supporters, clad in India colours, lined up on the eve of the festival of lights, calling out "Happy Diwali, Virat Bhai!" to the star batter.

Kohli responded in kind by posing for photos and acknowledging their wishes before he continued strolling through the crowd.

India's Opening Match Disaster

India return to Adelaide following a sobering opener in the series, having lost the first match by seven wickets In a rain-curtailed match in Perth, India failed to defend a DLS-set total of 130 runs. The Indian bowlers lacked penetration on a pitch that offered little assistance, hindering their attack.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's return to the ODI squad for the series Down Under generated big headlines and a surge of expectant energy among fans. However, neither batter converted this buzz into runs. In the first match, Kohli scored a rare duck, while Rohit managed just eight runs off 14 balls.

With two matches remaining in the series, captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir face a lot of decisions. They will need to stabilise the top batting order and tighten death-overs bowling.

The squad also faces selection debates, which includes whether Kuldeep Yadav makes the playing XI, as the Men in Blue target a stronger performance in Adelaide.