Virat gearing up for Australia ODIs? Legend posts picture with a coach in nets
Virat took to his Instagram to post a picture with Naeem and captioned it, "Thanks for helping out with the hit brother. Always lovely to see you."
This could very well be a sign that Virat, retired from Tests and T20Is, is gearing up for a season of ODI cricket. From October 19 onwards, India will tour Australia for a three-ODI and five-T20I series. Fans could get to see the 'King' back in action from October 19 onwards at Perth's Optus Stadium, with two more matches scheduled for Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25).
Back in May, Virat sent a huge wave of shock and grief among the cricketing fraternity, announcing his retirement from Tests ahead of India's tour of England, which kickstarted the team's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign.
In 123 Tests, Virat scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties and a best score of 254*. He ended as India's fourth-highest run-getter in Tests. He also ended his career as India's most successful Test captain, with 40 wins in 68 Tests, including memorable wins in England, Australia and South Africa and a series win in Australia.
Virat's final image in whites was helplessly edging a Scott Boland delivery to the slips in the final fifth Test at Sydney. He ended the horrific Australia tour with just 190 runs in nine innings under his belt, at an average of 23.75, despite a century at Perth during the first Test. His struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump channel and poor performances against Boland marked his final outing in white clothing.
Virat and more than him, his fans would be hoping that he scores in heaps during the ODI tour to Australia. He has an outstanding record in the country in ODIs, having made 1,327 runs in 29 matches and innings at an average of 51.03, with five centuries and six fifties. His best score is 133*.
Notably, in his previous ODI outing, he won the ICC Champions Trophy for India back in March, scoring 218 runs in five innings at an average of 54.50, with a century and fifty each. In seven ODIs this year, he has been in a solid form, with 275 runs in seven innings at an average of 45.83, a century and two fifties.
In his most recent cricket assignment, he ended an 18-year-wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and top-scored for the team with 657 runs in 15 matches with eight fifties.
In 302 ODIs, he has made 14,181 runs in 290 innings at an average of 57.88, with 51 centuries and 74 fifties and a best score of 183. He is the third-highest run-getter in the format. Across all of international cricket, he has made 27,599 runs at an average of 52.27, with 82 centuries and 143 fifties.
With three more ODIs scheduled from November to December against South Africa at home as well, fans would be hoping that he posts some big scores as it could help him touch the 15,000 ODI run mark and 28,000 international runs mark. (ANI)
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