Why Adelaide is Kohli’s happy hunting ground

Adelaide, Dec 4: For Virat Kohli, the Adelaide Oval is more than just a cricket ground—it’s a stage where he feels “at home” and thrives like nowhere else. The Indian batting maestro has etched his name in the venue’s history books with a stellar record across all formats, making it his most successful international hunting ground.
“I absolutely love playing here,” Kohli remarked in November 2022. “From the moment I enter, even in the nets, I feel like I’m meant to enjoy my batting here. There’s just something about this place.”
His numbers at Adelaide back up this sentiment. Across 15 innings, Kohli has amassed 957 runs at an astounding average of 73.61, including five centuries and four half-centuries. No overseas cricketer has scored more hundreds at this venue than Kohli.
Kohli’s three Test centuries at Adelaide Oval include his maiden Test ton in January 2012 and twin centuries in his first match as India’s captain in December 2014.
This rare feat puts him alongside England’s Sir Jack Hobbs as the only non-Australians to achieve three Test centuries at Adelaide.
In one-day internationals, Kohli has notched two centuries in four innings, including a memorable 107 against Pakistan during the 2015 World Cup. His T20 performances are equally remarkable, with unbeaten scores of 90, 64, and 50 in three outings, giving him a staggering T20 average of 204 at the venue.
Kohli himself is unsure why the Adelaide Oval brings out the best in him. “I don’t know what the connection is, but I feel different here than anywhere else in the world,” he said in 2018. His first Test ton and subsequent performances seem to have cemented a special bond with the venue.
Kohli’s achievements at Adelaide put him in elite company. He shares the same number of Test centuries at the venue as Australian legends Sir Donald Bradman and Steve Waugh.
However, unlike Kohli, Bradman converted all three of his centuries into double tons.
As Kohli returns to Adelaide for the second Test, fresh from a century in Perth, he’ll be looking to add another chapter to his illustrious story at his favourite ground. With the venue’s history and his own performances intertwined, Adelaide Oval continues to be a canvas for Kohli’s cricketing artistry. (Agencies)