Virat Kohli’s quiet wave sparks retirement speculation after consecutive ducks

For the first time in his international career, Virat Kohli registered back-to-back ducks and his subtle gesture afterward has fuelled intense retirement chatter.

At the Adelaide Oval, his long-time fortress where he has amassed a record 975 runs as a visiting batter across formats, Kohli’s short stay at the crease ended in just four balls. As he walked back, he raised his right hand and gave a quiet wave to the crowd. The gesture, almost like a final farewell, left fans wondering: was this simply a goodbye to Adelaide, or something far more significant, perhaps signaling the end of his ODI career?

The atmosphere was emotional. Kohli received a thunderous welcome when he walked out to bat, but after his brief innings, the applause turned into a respectful ovation. The star batter, unusually subdued, acknowledged the crowd — a move that only added fuel to the growing speculation.

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Kohli’s comeback to international cricket has been anything but straightforward. Returning after a seven-month hiatus — having already retired from T20Is and Tests — he struggled to find form in the ongoing ODI series. In the opening match at Perth’s Optus Stadium on October 19, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc dismissed him for an eight-ball duck. After seven scoreless deliveries, Kohli tried to force a shot off a rising ball moving away, only to edge it to backward point.

Three days later, at Adelaide, his woes continued. This time, it was Xavier Bartlett who outsmarted him. After a sequence of deliveries shaping away, Bartlett slipped in a fuller, straighter one that trapped Kohli plumb in front. Known for his strength off the pads, Kohli misjudged it completely. The umpire raised his finger instantly, and after a brief word with skipper Rohit Sharma, Kohli chose not to review — a wise decision, as ball-tracking confirmed it was crashing into middle stump.

Now, with that quiet wave lingering in memory, the question remains: was it merely a farewell to a ground that has seen his greatest triumphs, or a symbolic goodbye to international cricket’s 50-over format?