“Virat Kohli won’t announce retirement” - Former Indian cricketer assures Indian fans

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a huge statement on the Indian talismanic batter Virat Kohli, stating that he will not announce his retirement despite two consecutive ducks in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia Down Under.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif has revealed the reason behind Kohli’s ‘raising gloves’ gesture towards the Adelaide crowd. He also reckoned that it’s no big deal for a player of Kohli’s stature to score two ducks.

"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 said on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, Kaif emphasized that Kohli needs some more time to get into his rhythm, and he assured the Indian fans that since the South African and New Zealand ODI series are lined up for Team India, he will continue to play the format.

"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 added.

"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,” he concluded.

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