‘Absolutely not,’ Sunil Gavaskar dismisses Kohli’s retirement rumours after consecutive ducks
Virat Kohli’s wave to the Adelaide crowd after scoring a duck in the second ODI against Australia sparked retirement rumors, but Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar dismissed these claims.
Kohli gestured to the fans after getting out on duck in the second ODI. Image | @ImTanujSingh on X
Last Updated: 02.15 PM, Oct 24, 2025
Virat Kohli’s recent wave to the Adelaide crowd sparked widespread retirement speculation after his dismissal for zero runs in the second ODI against Australia. Fans and media quickly interpreted the gesture as a subtle farewell as rumors swirled about Kohli ending his international career. However, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has dismissed these assumptions, affirming that the 36-year-old star will play in the upcoming third ODI in Sydney and continue pursuing his cricketing journey.
What happened?
The incident unfolded on Thursday when Kohli, facing a nip-backer from Australia’s Xavier Bartlett, was dismissed for a duck for the second match in a row, a first in his illustrious career. As Kohli walked off the field, he raised his glove in acknowledgment of the standing ovation from an overwhelmingly Australian crowd at Adelaide Oval. This simple gesture was widely misconstrued on social media as a signal that Kohli was bidding goodbye to international cricket.
Gavaskar, speaking on Sports Tak, urged fans not to read too much into the moment. Highlighting Kohli’s remarkable career statistics over 14,000 ODI runs, 52 ODI centuries, and 32 Test centuries, he emphasized that a few failures do not define a player of such calibre. “He’s allowed a couple of failures,” Gavaskar said, assuring that Kohli’s cricketing future remains bright and promising.
“We will see a big innings from him:” Gavaskar
Adelaide has always been one of Kohli’s favorite venues in Australia. Over his career, he has scored multiple centuries at this ground in both Test and ODI formats, making the crowd’s high expectations understandable.
“Sydney might be where we will see a big innings from him,” Gavaskar predicted, pointing to the upcoming final match of the series as an opportunity for Kohli to bounce back.
The former India captain also clarified the nature of the ovation Kohli received after his dismissal, noting that the majority of those applauding were Australian fans paying tribute to his contributions to the game globally.
Kohli, meanwhile, was simply acknowledging the members’ stand, where former players and administrators sit, and thanking the crowd for their respect. Gavaskar explained, “Normally, when you get a big score, you acknowledge it with your bat or helmet off. This was just a way of thanking the crowd for the reception and the ovation they gave him.”
When directly asked if Kohli would feature in the series finale in Sydney on Saturday, Gavaskar was unequivocal. Kohli is not the kind to hang up his boots after back-to-back ducks, especially one with such an outstanding career behind him.
“Do you really think he will retire after scoring 0 and 0? Absolutely not. He will aim to retire on a high note,” Gavaskar remarked.
Looking ahead, Gavaskar outlined several reasons why retirement is not imminent for Kohli. Beyond this Australia series, India has upcoming ODIs at home against South Africa and other international fixtures where Kohli will continue to play a pivotal role.
More importantly, Gavaskar expects Kohli to plan for the 2027 ODI World Cup, where he will likely be a key figure alongside Rohit Sharma.
“There is the Sydney game ahead, followed by the ODI series at home against South Africa, and there are a lot of ODIs left. I would say the 2027 World Cup will be for Kohli, alongside Rohit. Even the Australians would have been disappointed — they didn't get to see a big score from Virat Kohli. I think he was simply acknowledging the crowd with his gloves. Normally, when you get a big score, you acknowledge it with your bat raised, or your helmet or cap off. But this was just his way of thanking the crowd for the reception and the ovation they gave him. Don't read too much into it.”
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