Sunil Gavaskar Dismisses Talk of Virat Kohli’s ODI Retirement After Twin Ducks

Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has dismissed speculation about Virat Kohli retiring from ODIs after two consecutive ducks in the ongoing Australia series, calling the chatter premature and unfounded. Speaking on Sports Tak, Gavaskar pointed to Kohli’s gesture of applauding the Adelaide Oval crowd after his dismissal as a simple acknowledgement of a standing ovation from a largely Australian audience, not a farewell. “Look where he was going — that’s the members’ stand with former players and officials. He was just thanking them,” Gavaskar said, noting the path players take off the field leads directly there.

Kohli, 36, recorded his first-ever back-to-back ducks in international cricket — out for zero in Perth and again in Adelaide on October 23, 2025 — fuelling retirement rumours. But Gavaskar emphasised Kohli’s monumental record: over 14,000 ODI runs, 52 centuries, and a history of dominance at Adelaide, where he has scored multiple hundreds in both formats. “He’s allowed a couple of failures. There’s plenty of cricket left — Sydney, a home series against South Africa, and the 2027 World Cup,” Gavaskar asserted, predicting both Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma will lead India until then.

The former opener praised the warm reception Kohli received upon walking out to bat, calling it “heartwarming” recognition from Australian fans of his global impact. “Virat won’t quit after two zeros. He’ll want to go out on a high,” Gavaskar said, expecting a strong response in Sydney and beyond.

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With the series now at 0-2 to Australia following their thrilling two-wicket victory in Adelaide—clinched by fifties from Matthew Short and Cooper Connolly—Kohli remains central to India’s white-ball future, his resilience and legacy far outweighing a brief slump.

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