Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli: “No Signal from Him, Won’t Retire After Two Ducks”

Sunil Gavaskar Backs Virat Kohli: “Not Retiring After Two Ducks, Plenty of Cricket Left”

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has dismissed retirement speculation around Virat Kohli, saying the former India captain still has plenty of cricket left and is not the type to quit after consecutive ducks in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia. Gavaskar clarified that Kohli’s gloves gesture at Adelaide Oval was simply acknowledging the standing ovation from the crowd, not signaling an international farewell.

🔹 Kohli’s Adelaide Performance

Kohli entered the Adelaide match after an eight-ball duck in Perth, carrying high expectations due to his Bradman-esque record at the venue. However, his innings lasted only four deliveries, falling victim to inward seam movement off the pitch.

Visibly disappointed, Kohli walked back to the dressing room but raised his gloves to acknowledge the ovation from fans. Gavaskar explained,
“The ovation was heartwarming, especially because the majority of the crowd were Australians recognizing his contributions to cricket. He was simply thanking them; it wasn’t a retirement signal.”

🔹 Gavaskar on Retirement Speculation

Gavaskar emphasized that Kohli is unlikely to give up after two low scores. He noted:
“He will aim to retire on a high — playing in Sydney, followed by the ODI series in South Africa, and then the 2027 World Cup alongside Rohit Sharma. Don’t read too much into the Adelaide innings.”

The former Indian captain also highlighted Kohli’s remarkable career statistics, pointing out over 14,000 international runs, 52 ODI centuries, and 32 Test centuries, stressing that a couple of failures do not define a player of his caliber.

🔹 Technical Challenges in Australia

Gavaskar added that adjusting to Australian pitches, with extra bounce and pace, naturally takes time for players raised on Indian tracks. Kohli’s early dismissals were a result of adjusting to pitch conditions, not a decline in form.

🔹 Looking Ahead

While Kohli may have played his final ODI at Adelaide — finishing with 975 runs, the most by a visiting batter at the ground — he will get another opportunity in the third ODI at Sydney on Saturday to showcase his form. With Rohit Sharma in rhythm and team management evaluating performances carefully, Kohli is set for a chance to silence critics and reaffirm his place in the side.