"Look Where He Was Going": Sunil Gavaskar On Virat Kohli's Farewell Gesture In Adelaide

A duck in Perth, followed by a duck in Adelaide, and chatter over Virat Kohli's potential retirement from the ODI format has intensified. The batter was even spotted thanking the Adelaide crowd for their support after his dismissal on Thursday. The gesture by the Indian batting icon left fans wondering if this series would be the last they see of Kohli in the Indian shirt. However, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar doesn't think Kohli would call it a day after scoring two consecutive ducks, that too for the first time in his career.

During a chat on Sports Tak, Gavaskar highlighted the extraordinary numbers that Kohli has as a batter in international cricket. On the debate around his future, Gavaskar said that both Kohli and Rohit Sharma will remain active till the World Cup in 2027.

"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.

"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.

On Kohli's much-talked-about gesture for fans at Adelaide, Gavaskar said that was probably a way for him to acknowledge their support over the years at a ground where he has had plenty of success.

"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," Gavaskar put the speculations to bed.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Australia vs India 2025 Cricket