Perth: Ahead of his much-awaited return to international cricket, Virat Kohli shared a cryptic post on social media about failure, just days before India’s first ODI against Australia in Perth on Sunday.
The match will mark Kohli’s first appearance in the Indian jersey since he lifted the Champions Trophy with the team on March 9. Although he was initially expected to make his comeback during India’s Test tour of England for the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the star batter instead announced the end of his 14-year-long journey in that format with an emotional note.
As anticipation builds, questions continue to swirl around how Kohli will perform on Australia’s fast and bouncy pitches—and whether this three-match ODI series could be his last. Despite Kohli’s earlier statement expressing his intent to play until the 2027 World Cup, recent speculation has cast doubt on that possibility.
Amid all the talk, the 36-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a reflective message that many fans interpreted as a hint about his mindset and future ambitions. “The only time you truly fail, is when you decide to give up,” he wrote on Thursday.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, however, dismissed rumours about Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s possible retirement after the Australia series. He confirmed that both players are part of India’s long-term plans leading up to the 2027 World Cup.
“Not as far as I know,” Agarkar told reporters. “Both have met all the required fitness norms. They’ve been picked with the 2027 World Cup in mind, and I don’t think there’s any reason to discuss retirement right now. With the captaincy change, this was always part of the plan.”
Head coach Gautam Gambhir also weighed in earlier this week after India’s 2-0 series sweep against the West Indies. He urged everyone to focus on the present and expressed confidence that Kohli and Rohit’s experience would prove vital in Australia.
“The 50-over World Cup is still two and a half years away,” Gambhir said. “It’s important to stay in the present. These are quality players, and their experience will be invaluable in Australia. Hopefully, both of them will have a successful tour.”
