Star Sports teases 'No. 18 returns' to dominate the Aussies, but it may not be Virat Kohli after all

Despite all the excitement shown by fans, Star Sports' post for No. 18 is likely not for Virat Kohli.

The Asia Cup starts tomorrow, but there's a reason why October 19 is already the most eagerly anticipated date. That's when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are likely to return to Indian cricket after a six-month gap. Last representing India at the Champions Trophy 2025 in early March, Rohit and Kohli have since retired from Test cricket, marking a prolonged absence from Indian cricket. They were likely supposed to make a return last month, for the ODI series between India and Bangladesh; however, after its cancellation, Ro-Ko's return was pushed back to October when India tour Australia for a limited-overs tour featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.

Virat Kohli last played for India in March (AFP)

Amid speculations regarding their future – can Rohit, Kohli play till the 2027 World Cup, or will the Australia series be their swansong – an X post from Star Sports has done less to add excitement and more to spark confusion among fans. "Guess who's coming back to dominate the Aussies?" the post was captioned, along with a picture that captured the jersey No. 18. While Kohli was the obvious first thought, chances are it's not about him, especially with no clarity on his return and plenty of time left before the squad is announced.

Smriti Mandhana vs Australia

The post is likely for Smriti Mandhana, not Virat Kohli. The Australian women’s cricket team is touring India for a three-ODI series starting September 14. This will allow both teams to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the 2025 Women's World Cup, which starts September 30. India's squad for the series was already announced on August 19, the same day Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav unveiled the 15-member squad for the men's Asia Cup.

To further prove why the post is for Mandhana, let's look at Smriti's record against Australia. In 16 ODIs, Mandhana has scored 616 runs from 16 matches at an average of 38.5, including two centuries. Mandhana also has a pink-ball century against the Aussies in India women's first-ever day-night Test. In fact, her Test record against Australia reads 270 runs from two matches at a whopping average of 90. Add 737 more runs from 26 T20Is, and it caps off Mandhana's formidable record against the women in yellow.