After Consecutive Ducks, Kohli’s Brief but Emotional Gesture to the Crowd Triggered a Storm of Retirement Rumors Online.

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In a viral moment, Virat Kohli waved at the spectators after scoring rare consecutive ducks during the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. While some fans saw it as a sign of frustration, others believe it could be a subtle hint at retirement. 

The Viral Gesture
 

The legend of the ODI format, Virat Kohli, has never been dismissed for consecutive ducks. After failing to open his account in 8 balls in the Perth ODI, Kohli was sent packing for a 4-ball duck in Adelaide. He was trapped LBW in front by the Aussie pacer Xavier Bartlett.

Returning to the dressing room after his dismissal in the second ODI, Kohli's gesture added fuel to the retirement news. The stalwart batter was seen waving to the fans, with gloves in his hand, as he returned to the dressing room. The gesture made fans wonder if the batter was signaling his exit to them.

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Link: https://x.com/cricketcomau/status/1981211697630134309

(Credit: X/@cricketcomau)

Kohli’s Dominance in Adelaide

Adelaide Oval has been the fortress for the legendary batter. He has scored the most runs (975) by a visiting batter (across formats) at this venue with 5 centuries and 4 half-centuries. 

He received a rousing reception when he walked out to bat, and after his four-ball stay in the middle, the cheers certainly did not match it, but the crowd did give him an ovation.

Kohli’s Statement before the Series

Ahead of the first ODI at Perth, the 36-year-old batter made a bold statement about his fitness and preparedness for the series. 

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"I'm feeling as fit, if not fitter than I've ever been before, and yeah, you can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game, and mentally you know what to do out there; it's just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of," he said ahead of the start of the first ODI on Sunday.

"At this stage, I realised that if my body is fit, if my reflexes are there, then the game awareness is already there; my body has to match up with it, and that's something that I try to keep up with. I live my life like that and, yeah, no issues at all. I'm feeling fresh here coming into Australia and moving really well in the nets and in the fielding sessions as well, so all good so far," Kohli added.

Kohli’s Future


With youth sensations like Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting on the bench, the competition for places in the Indian team is extremely fierce. Kohli, despite his stature, is not a guaranteed selection at the moment.

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ODI World Cup seems to be the aim for Kohli, but his form, at present, is set to make it tough for him to retain his spot in the team. Kohli remains one of India's fittest and most driven cricketers, but his lack of match practice has likely affected his form on his return to competitive cricket.

Virat Kohli now has one more game to go before another long break, and he would look to make the most of the game as India takes on Australia for the third ODI on Saturday, October 25.