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Virat Kohli bids farewell to cricket: India's next No. 3, plans for World Cup 2027 – Most dreaded what-if scenario
Virat Kohli was seen waving goodbye to the Adelaide crowd during the 2nd ODI. What if…. he retires after the match?
Was that a token of appreciation for the Adelaide crowd? Or was that a goodbye to the game? 1.4 billion Indians were asking this question when Virat Kohli walked out after recording a duck in the second ODI between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Since Sachin Tendulkar's retirement, Kohli has been the most prolific run-scorer for India. He has transcended himself to become a legend of the game. However, with him retiring from Tests and T20Is, and the two recent ducks in ODIs, there's an intense discussion as to whether India's tour of Australia is his last dance. Adding fuel to the fire is the gesture from the batter himself when he walked off the ground.
Notably, as Kohli walked off after facing just four deliveries against Australia in Adelaide, he took off his gloves and waved towards the crowd. This led to a massive discussion on social media. While some fans felt Kohli was simply thanking the Adelaide crowd - one of his favourite hunting grounds and possibly his last appearance there - others believe a bigger announcement could be on the way after the match.
So, what if… the most dreaded thing happens after the ongoing 2nd ODI between India and Australia? What if Virat Kohli announces retirement from ODIs after the match?
The milestones that he would miss
Kohli is within touching distance of becoming the second-highest run-scorer ever in ODI cricket. The spot is currently occupied by Kumar Sangakkara, who has 14,234 runs under his belt, just 53 more than the Indian maestro.
A retirement now would also mean that he finishes well short of the 15,000 ODI runs. Kohli currently has the most ODI centuries in the world with 51 tons under his belt. However, he had the opportunity of being the sole record holder for the most centuries by any batter in any format. He currently shares the record with Sachin Tendulkar, who, too, has 51 centuries in Test cricket. Bidding goodbye to the game would mean that it stays untouched.
India's rebuilding plan
The departure of Kohli would create a big hole in the Indian batting line-up. The man has been batting at number three with the whole line-up revolving around for more than a decade now.
With Kohli gone, India will have to find a suitable batter for the spot. India might execute a couple of plans for the same.
Yashasvi Jaiswal comes in
The Indian management can include Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI side. The left-handed young batter has been opening the innings for the team in Tests and T20Is. With Jaiswal coming into the side, India could look to open with Rohit and him, with Shubman Gill coming down at number three.
The other thing India can do is bring Jaiswal in at number three and keep the Gill-Rohit pair going at the opening slot.
Tilak Varma gets a go
One of Kohli's biggest USPs was his ability to lead chases in ODIs. He has been elite in that role. With Kohli gone, India hopes to get as close to a replacement as possible in that spot.
Tilak Varma displayed brilliant nerves in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan. If groomed well, he could be an elite chaser. The management can consider bringing him in for the spot vacated by Kohli.
Big shoes to fill
Kohli is a legend of the game, and it would not be easy to find his replacement. Especially with the World Cup set to take place 2027, Kohli's sudden departure might disrupt the balance of the team. While the retirement talks are just speculations, the management, as well as the fans, will hope that the maverick batter continues for a couple of more years, becoming a key part of the Indian team that boards the flight to South Africa.
