'Do you really think Kohli will retire after 0, 0?': Gavaskar dismisses exit rumours as 'Adelaide signal' triggers storm

Virat Kohli’s farewell wave in Adelaide sparked retirement rumours, but Sunil Gavaskar said it was mere acknowledgment and confirmed his Sydney appearance.

India’s batting star Virat Kohli’s goodbye wave to the Adelaide spectators after being dismissed for a duck on Thursday in the second ODI against Australia sent the internet into overdrive. The gesture sparked speculation that it was a subtle hint from the former captain that his international career may be nearing its end. However, India legend Sunil Gavaskar dismissed the rumours, saying that it was simply a gesture of acknowledgement from Kohli for the crowd, who had given him a standing ovation, and assured that the 36-year-old will certainly make an appearance in the third and final game of the series in Sydney on Saturday.

India's Virat Kohli walks off the field after his dismissal during the second one-day international cricket match between Australia and India(AFP)

Kohli was undone by a nip-backer from Xavier Bartlett in Adelaide, as the delivery caught him plumb in front. It was the first time in his career that he had been dismissed for a duck in consecutive ODI matches. While the dismissal mounted pressure on Kohli to retain his place in India’s ODI XI for the upcoming World Cup, the gesture that followed — as he made his way back to the dressing room and raised his glove in response to a standing ovation from the spectators — led to retirement speculation on social media.

However, speaking to Sports Tak, Sunil Gavaskar assured fans that there is still plenty of cricket left in Kohli and that, given his career, the 36-year-old is entitled to a few failures. The former India captain also backed Kohli to bounce back in the final game of the series in Sydney on Saturday.

“Look, the man has more than 14,000 runs, 52 ODI centuries, and I think 32 Test centuries. He's scored thousands and thousands of runs, so he's allowed a couple of failures. Don't read too much into what has happened — there's plenty of cricket left, plenty of cricket ahead. Maybe Sydney will see a big innings from him. Adelaide, of course, has been his favorite ground in Australia, both at the Test level and in ODIs. He's scored hundreds there, so naturally, everyone was expecting a big one here as well. But that didn't quite happen,” Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar further explained that the majority of the spectators applauding him were Australians, acknowledging his contribution to the game, and that Kohli was simply acknowledging their respect as he walked past the members’ stand.

“What a wonderful ovation he got when he walked out to bat. It was truly heartwarming because the majority of the crowd were Australians. Yes, there were lots of Indians there, but most of the crowd were Australians, recognising what he's done for the game. That ovation was really, really special. No, it's not the end. Look, where he was going — where the players come down from — is where the members' stand is. The members' stand is where former players, administrators, and others sit. I think he was just acknowledging the ovation they were giving him," he added.

When pressed on whether Kohli would feature in Sydney on Saturday for the final game of the series, Gavaskar assured that the star batter is not the kind of player who would bid adieu to the sport after back-to-back ducks, especially considering all that he has achieved in his career. He added that the Delhi-born batter would want to end his story on a high, which he believes will likely come at the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Virat Kohli is not the type of player who will give up this easily. Do you really think he will retire after scores of 0 and 0? Absolutely no. He will aim to retire on a high note. 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.”