"Virat Kohli won't announce retirement" - Former batter's huge claim after India star acknowledges Adelaide crowd during AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has shut retirement speculations surrounding Virat Kohli after his gesture following the dismissal against Australia in the second ODI in Adelaide. Kaif reckoned it was an acknowledgement to the crowd's applause and the legendary batter is only unlikely to play at the Adelaide Oval again.

Kohli's dismal run continued in the ODI series as he perished for his second consecutive duck on Thursday. After Mitchell Starc got him out in Perth, Xavier Bartlett trapped him lbw right in front of the stumps as Kohli walked away without reviewing. It is also the first time that the veteran departed for consecutive ducks in ODIs.

When asked whether the record-breaking batter will announce his retirement from ODIs too, Kaif denied that notion, claiming that he was going nowhere. He also stated that scoring two ducks makes no difference, given how much the former skipper has done for Indian cricket. He said in the video uploaded on his YouTube channel (1:53):

"No, Virat Kohli won’t announce retirement. He is unlikely to play in Adelaide again. Australia tour doesn’t come that often and he doesn’t play Test and T20I cricket. He is not part of the T20I squad for the subsequent series. Adelaide is one of his favourite grounds and he made a name for himself from there. Even after scoring 0, people clapped for him because Virat Kohli is a player of such a stature. He has given fans a lot to cheer about and they told him he is going to be their role model, regardless of whether you score or not. Kohli acknowledged that support. He is going nowhere, nor should he. It’s no big deal that he scored two ducks. No one can raise questions on Kohli has done for Indian cricket. He will play moving forward."

Kaif also stressed the need for fans to reserve their judgement or calls for Kohli's retirement until the series against New Zealand in January is done. He believes such struggles are part and parcel of the game and that the right-hander needs 8-10 matches to settle down before discussions on his future begins. He said (3:18):

"There is the Sydney game and the ODI series against South Africa at home, followed by one against New Zealand. There have been some changes in the team, Shubman Gill has become the captain, Rohit Sharma is not in the role. Kohli might also feel unusual, given he is playing after Test retirement. I feel we should give time to settle things and three ODIs are not enough for that. Even if he gets out cheaply in Sydney, it doesn’t matter. He will play against South Africa and New Zealand. We should wait till the series against New Zealand because the World Cup is in 2027. We should let him play 8-10 matches, then have a discussion on his future."

He continued:

"There is a series against South Africa in November, followed by New Zealand. So, no need to hurry. People on social media asking him to announce retirement should wait because things once said cannot be taken back. Take your time before speaking anything. People are speaking as if big players don’t get out on 0. Kohli hasn’t been dismissed for consecutive ducks in ODIs, he always plays well in Adelaide. He scored a ton in his last innings in Adelaide and made a Test ton in Perth. Things happen, records break and it’s a part and parcel of the game. So, we shouldn’t pass judgement that quickly."

The Delhi-born cricketer's dismissal indeed sent ripples through the fans and former cricketers, especially given his record in Adelaide. Before Thursday's game, Kohli averaged 61 in his four ODIs at the venue, including two centuries.

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"When Virat Kohli is in good rhythm, he would dispatch that for a boundary with a flick" - Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif has backed Virat Kohli to come good. (Image Credits: Getty)

When asked whether the star cricketer's reflexes might be slowing down, Kaif said it was concerning to see him miss a ball that he would usually hit for a boundary. Hence, Kaif suggested the need for domestic cricket to keep the rhythm going and especially with series looming against South Africa and New Zealand. He added 5:41:

"This is a a good question. He wouldn’t have been out LBW. When Virat Kohli is in good rhythm, he would dispatch that for a boundary with a flick. His weakness is outside off-stump. Mitchell Starc got him out in Perth and most bowlers now trap him that way. But they don’t plan to bowl the inswinger and hope he misses that. There was a gap of about 6-7 centimetres. The footwork was not right. He came into position early, the ball hit the pad and then the bat came down. He is not playing matches continuously."

"No matter how big a player you are - you might have hit a ton in Perth or even if Adelaide is your favourite venue - if you play consistently, you get runs. He was late on footwork. I have seen very few LBWs and Kohli hardly misses the ball in the white-ball formats and he would’ve hit the ball for a boundary. After the Australia tour, he has to work hard and play matches continuously so that he looks ready to face South Africa."

India and Australia will face one another in the final ODI in Sydney on October 25, Saturday. Mitchell Marsh and Co. already have an unassailable 2-0 series lead.