Sunil Gavaskar decodes Virat Kohli's 'glove-raising' gesture in Adelaide which sparked retirement talks, says 'there is plenty of...'

Following retirement speculation on social media, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has asserted that Virat Kohli isn't going to call it a day as he still has much to offer to cricket. Gavaskar dismissed the notion that Kohli would consider retirement after suffering two consecutive ducks in the ongoing ODI series against Australia. Kohli's 'glove-raising' gesture to Adelaide crowd while marching back to the pavilion ignited retirement rumours but just in time Gavaskar made it clear that it was simply an acknowledgment of the standing ovation he received from the spectators.

Will Virat Kohli retire from ODIs? Sunil Gavaskar answers

The retirement speculations swirled online after Kohli’s dismissal in Adelaide. As he left the field, he raised his gloves to the crowd, which was giving him a standing ovation. Because Adelaide is one of Kohli's most successful and favourite grounds, the moment felt poignant, leading some to interpret the gesture as a hint that this might be his final international innings at the venue.

“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 told Sports Tak.

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Kohli's brief stint at the crease in Adelaide followed a disappointing eight-ball duck in the series opener in Perth. Expectations were high for his return to a venue where he boasts a 'Bradman-esque' record. However, his innings was cut short after just four deliveries. After coming to the wicket in the seventh over following Shubman Gill's dismissal by Xavier Bartlett, Kohli adopted a cautious approach, letting three deliveries pass. He was undone by the fourth ball, which jagged back sharply off the seam, catching him off guard as he anticipated an outswinger and consequently losing his off stump.

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Virat Kohli is not the type of player to give up after two ducks: Gavaskar

Looking ahead, Gavaskar emphasised that Kohli is not looking for a quiet exit and will instead aim to retire on a high. The former Indian captain projected a long road ahead for the star batsman, predicting his participation in the upcoming Sydney match, the subsequent ODI series in South Africa, and ultimately, the 2027 World Cup alongside Rohit Sharma.

“Virat Kohli is not the type of player to give up after two ducks. He will aim to retire on a high, playing in Sydney, followed by the ODI series in South Africa, and then the 2027 World Cup 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 added.