The cricketing world is abuzz with speculation after Virat Kohli waved to the Adelaide crowd following his dismissal in the second ODI against Australia. The gesture, coupled with his rare run of poor form, has led many to wonder whether the former Indian captain is nearing the end of his glorious ODI journey.
Kohli, who was returning to competitive cricket after an extended break, endured a nightmare series so far, registering back-to-back ducks in the first two ODIs. His dismissal in Adelaide was particularly poignant.
After a four-ball duck off Xavier Bartlett, the Indian maestro acknowledged the crowd with a raised hand and a faint smile, drawing a standing ovation from fans who feared they might be witnessing his final innings at the iconic ground.
The wave has now become the subject of intense debate. Given Kohli’s recent decisions to retire from Test and T20I formats, the crowd’s reaction was understandable. “It looked like a goodbye,” one Adelaide spectator was quoted as saying, echoing the sentiment shared by millions online.
Statistically, Kohli’s struggles in this series stand out, this is the first time in his 17-year ODI career he has recorded consecutive ducks.
In contrast, his past performances at the Adelaide Oval have been sublime, boasting two centuries and nearly a thousand runs across formats, the most by any visiting batter at the venue.
Before the series, Kohli was seen training hard in the nets, prompting expectations of a classic innings at one of his favourite venues. However, luck and timing didn’t favour him this time. The back-to-back dismissals not only dented India’s top order but also fuelled whispers that the 36-year-old might step away from the 50-over format after the current series.
Yet, there’s another school of thought, one that believes retirement is still far off. Just days ago, Kohli posted an inspiring message on social media: “The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up,” interpreted by many as his vow to continue until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Kohli still has one more innings left in this series, with India scheduled to play the final ODI in Sydney. Fans around the world will be hoping the legend silences the retirement talk, not with words, but with the bat.