Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has dismissed retirement speculations surrounding Virat Kohli following the latter’s gesture after his dismissal against Australia in the second ODI in Adelaide. Kaif believes Kohli’s gesture was merely an acknowledgment of the crowd’s applause and stated that the legendary batter is only unlikely to play at the Adelaide Oval again.
Kohli’s dismal run in the ODI series continued as he was dismissed 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 in Adelaide. Kohli walked away without opting for a review. This marked the first time the veteran departed for consecutive ducks in ODIs.
When asked whether Kohli might announce his retirement from ODIs, Kaif denied that notion, asserting that Kohli is not going anywhere. He emphasized that scoring two ducks should not matter, considering the immense contribution the former skipper has made to Indian cricket.
In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Kaif said (timestamp 1:53):
“No, Virat Kohli won’t announce retirement. He is unlikely to play in Adelaide again. The 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 upcoming series. Adelaide is one of his favourite grounds and he made a name for himself there. Even after scoring zero, people clapped for him because Virat Kohli is a player of such stature. He has given fans a lot to cheer about, and they told him he is going to remain their role model, regardless of whether he scores 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 question what Kohli has done for Indian cricket. He will play moving forward.”
Kaif also stressed the importance of fans reserving judgment or calls for Kohli’s retirement until after the series against New Zealand in January. He believes such struggles are part and parcel of the game and feels Kohli needs around 8-10 matches to settle before there is any discussion about his future.
He stated (timestamp 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 that role anymore. Kohli might also feel unusual, given he is playing after retiring from Tests. I feel we should give time to settle things; 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 until 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:
“There is a series against South Africa in November, followed by New Zealand. So, there is no need to hurry. People on social media asking him to announce retirement should wait because once said, things cannot be taken back. Take your time before speaking anything. People are acting as if big players don’t get out for zero. Kohli hasn’t been dismissed for consecutive ducks in ODIs before, and he usually plays well in Adelaide. He scored a hundred in his last innings at Adelaide and also made a Test ton in Perth. Things happen, records break – it’s part of the game. So, we shouldn’t pass judgment so quickly.”
Kohli’s dismissal indeed sent ripples through fans and former cricketers, especially given his record at Adelaide. Before Thursday’s game, Kohli averaged 61 in his four ODIs at the venue, including two centuries.
When asked whether Kohli’s reflexes might be slowing down, Kaif said it was concerning to see him miss a ball he would usually hit for a boundary. He suggested that Kohli should participate in domestic cricket to maintain his rhythm, especially with upcoming series against South Africa and New Zealand.
Kaif elaborated (timestamp 5:41):
“This is a good question. He wouldn’t have been out LBW if in good rhythm. When Virat Kohli is playing well, he would dispatch that for a boundary with a flick. His weakness is outside off-stump. Mitchell Starc got him out in Perth using that line, and most bowlers now bowl that way to trap him. But they don’t plan to bowl the inswinger hoping he misses that. There was a gap of about 6-7 centimetres. His 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—whether you hit a hundred in Perth or 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 white-ball formats; he would’ve hit that 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 off in the final ODI in Sydney on October 25, Saturday. Mitchell Marsh and Co. already have an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
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