After a white-beard photo sparked retirement talks, Virat Kohli resumed training in London, ending speculation. Having retired from Tests and T20Is, the 36-year-old is focused on ODIs and hopes to feature in the 2027 World Cup for Team India.
Team India’s star batter and former captain Virat Kohli has shut down the rumours of his possible retirement from his illustrious international career following the viral picture of him with a white beard, as he resumed his training to make an international return.
In June, a couple of weeks before India’s squad announcement for the recently concluded England Test tour, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from his Test career, just a few days after Rohit Sharma announced a similar decision. Both were India’s batting mainstay in red-ball cricket for over a decade.
Kohli not only retired from Tests but also from T20Is after the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup triumph by defeating South Africa in the final at Barbados last year. Since the 36-year-old stepped away from Tests and T20Is, the ODIs remain the only format he is currently available for.
White beard that sparked retirement rumours
As Virat Kohli remains available for the ODIs, the veteran Indian batter, spotted with a white beard, sparked speculations and rumours of his possible retirement from international cricket.
The 36-year-old was spotted with a white beard and clicked a picture with Shash Kiran, an Indian-origin entrepreneur, in London. Since Kohli has rarely been spotted with grey strands, his latest look raised concerns among his fans over a possible call it quits from his international career.
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Virat Kohli has neither provided any hint nor confirmed about his ODI retirement, as the star batter has already expressed his desire to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, before pulling the curtains down on his illustrious career.
Kohli ends retirement rumours
Since Virat Kohli’s white beard photo went viral like wildfire on social media and sparked rumours of possible retirement, the star Indian batter ended all the speculations by returning to training in London, where he is currently residing with his actress wife Anushka Sharma and their two kids, Vamika and Akaay.
Taking to his Instagram story, Virat Kohli posted a picture of himself and Gujarat Titans’ Assistant Coach, Naeem Amin, with whom he began training at the indoor training facility and thanked him for helping him with a hit.
“Thanks for helping out with the hit, brother. Always lovely to see you,” Kohli wrote on his Instagram handle.
Virat Kohli is expected to make a comeback in the ODI series against Australia in Australia, starting on October 19. Kohli, alongside Rohit Sharma, were supposed to make an international comeback in the Bangladesh ODI series in August, but India’s tour of Bangladesh was postponed to September next year due to political unrest in the country.
Cricket Australia is reportedly planning to arrange a special farewell to Indian batting stalwarts. The ODI series against Australia is likely to be Rohit and Kohli’s final appearance Down Under, as both legends are expected to gradually phase out from international cricket after the 2027 ODI World Cup.