David Warner will never be seen on the cricket field wearing Australian colours was confirmed when Afghanistan beat Bangladesh to knock the 2021 champions out and enter the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time but will Virat Kohli take the same route in the shortest format after this tournament ends was a question that could have waited a bit longer. But an Instagram post from ICC has sparked speculations about Virat Kohli's retirement right before India's semi-final against England.
A day after Warner's last appearance for Australia was confirmed by Afghanistan's win against Bangladesh, ICC took to Instagram to share a photo dump of the Australian opener with Kohli.
"Two champions of the game," ICC captioned the post that had five candid photos of Warner Kohli clicked after India's Super Eight Group 1 match against Australia on Monday.
Kohli and Warner and go back a long way. They were both featured in the same U19 World Cup in 2008 and, since then, have been stalwarts in all three formats of the game for their respective teams. The duo have also been opponents in the IPL for about a decade and a half.
Fans speculate Virat Kohli's T20I future
{{/usCountry}}Kohli and Warner and go back a long way. They were both featured in the same U19 World Cup in 2008 and, since then, have been stalwarts in all three formats of the game for their respective teams. The duo have also been opponents in the IPL for about a decade and a half.
Fans speculate Virat Kohli's T20I future
{{/usCountry}}ICC perhaps wanted to tap into the bond between the two great batters, but a section of fans thought it indicated Kohli's last appearance for India in T20Is.
"I understood... You're asking Kohli when he's gonna retire... Am I right?" commented a fan on the post.
"Both will never be seen playing any T20I after T20 WC 2024," read another comment.
"Virat ... ?? When ??" wrote another fan
While Warner had confirmed that this T20 World Cup would be his last international assignment, irrespective of the outcome, Kohli has not indicated anything of that sort.
The former India captain has been short of runs in this tournament, but he will look to make amends in the rematch of last edition's semi-final against England.
Australia lost to India by 24 runs in their final Super 8 match in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia on Monday night before Afghanistan's victory over Bangladesh knocked the 2021 champion out of the semi-final race.
Having already retired from Tests last year and One-Day Internationals at the start of this year, Warner had announced that he would call time on his international career after the T20 World Cup.
With Australia set to enter a new era without Warner, pacer Josh Hazlewood acknowledged that his absence in the dressing room would be hard to fill.
“We'll definitely miss him around the group, out in the field and off-field. (An) amazing all-format career," he said.
"It's sort of been a slow burn with Test cricket, and ODI cricket and now T20. So, life without him, we've sort of gotten used to it a little bit … it's always different when you lose a player that's been there for so long.”
Although Warner might be retired from all international formats now, he had stated that he will consider returning to the Aussie ODI fold for the Champions Trophy early next year if he continues to fare well.