Is Virat Kohli retiring from ODIs? Viral pic raises eyebrows
NEW DELHI: There's been a lot of buzz around
Virat Kohli
— first about his much-anticipated return to international cricket, and now about his new grey-bearded look. A recent photo of the Indian batting superstar with former cricketer Shash Kiran in London has gone viral, sparking concern among fans.
Kohli's visibly greying beard grabbed all the attention, leaving fans stunned by his changed appearance. Social media was flooded with reactions, with some even speculating that Kohli might be on the verge of announcing his retirement from ODIs. He has already retired from T20Is and Test cricket.
Amid the chatter, Kohli has begun training in London as he prepares for his return to one-day internationals. On Friday, he shared photos from an indoor session with Gujarat Titans' assistant coach Naeem Amin.
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Kohli appeared in high spirits and good shape during the session, wearing a grey t-shirt and blue shorts as he worked on his batting skills ahead of his much-awaited comeback.
"Thanks for helping out with the hit, brother. Always lovely to see you," Kohli wrote on his Instagram story, sharing a picture from the session.
"Good to see you brother! See you soon," Naeem replied via Instagram.
The star batter is expected to rejoin the Indian squad for the ODI series in Australia, scheduled from October 19 to 25.
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His comeback was initially planned for the August series against Bangladesh, which has since been postponed.
Kohli last played competitive cricket in June during the IPL 2025 final, where he scored 43 runs to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinch their maiden IPL title against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad.
With 14,181 ODI runs and a record 51 centuries in the format, Kohli continues to be regarded as one of the greatest ever in one-day cricket.
In the previous ODI World Cup, he set a new benchmark by scoring 765 runs, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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