What happens when one of the world’s most beloved cricketers shows up with a few grey hairs? Total internet chaos. That’s what. A recent picture of Virat Kohli in London, casually posing next to Shash Kiran, has gone viral for one unexpected reason: Virat Kohli’s grey beard. Yep, not a century, not a workout video. And boy, did it spark a wildfire on social media.
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The Fans React: “Is This Really Our King?”
Fans are used to Kohli being the symbol of energy, dominance, and evergreen charisma. So, when Virat Kohli’s grey beard made its unexpected debut, the internet went into collective shock. Tweets ranged from “He can’t be aging, right?” to “Please shave, King!” Memes flooded Instagram. Others tried to find meaning: Is he stressed? Is this a look for a new ad? Or, worse…is this hinting that Virat Kohli takes retirement from ODI might be next? The beard wasn’t just hair; it was a whole mood. A reminder that even cricket’s “King” can’t stop time.
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Virat Kohli’s Grey Beard Talk and Test Retirement
Earlier this year, Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, a format he loved deeply and performed in like a titan. After 14 years, 123 Tests, and 9,230 runs, he posted an emotional farewell, thanking the format for shaping him. But what caught fans off guard wasn’t just the announcement; it was the timing and what followed shortly after: His grey beard started making regular appearances.
At an event in the UK, he joked, “I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it’s time when you’re colouring it every four days.”
Funny? Yes. Innocent? Maybe. But fans couldn’t ignore the connection, a greying beard, and then, a major retirement. Which made many quietly ask again: Is Virat Kohli retiring from ODI going to be the next heartbreak?
Related Article：Thank You, King – Looking Back at Virat Kohli’s Test Career
The ODI Question Lingers
After stepping down from T20Is and now Tests, it’s no wonder people are nervous. For many fans, ODIs are the last format where Kohli still feels like an active part of Team India. And the appearance of Virat Kohli’s grey beard, combined with his age, 36 this year, only fuels the speculation that Virat Kohli takes retirement from ODI could be on the horizon.
VIRAT KOHLI IS GETTING READY FOR AUSTRALIA ODI SERIES. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/cSK81xeIxl
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 8, 2025
Luckily, there’s hope. Kohli recently posted a workout video on Instagram from London, confirming he’s gearing up for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. That means he’s still in the game, at least for now. So while Virat Kohli takes retirement from ODI is a real possibility sometime in the next couple of years, it doesn’t look like it’s happening just yet.
Who Is Shash Kiran?
Now let’s talk about the man standing next to Kohli in that famous photo — Shash Kiran. Who is he, and why were they together? Turns out, Kiran is no mystery man. He’s the consulting CEO at Prime Sports and Media in the UK and also the Director and Head of Operations at Citi Global Wealth EMEA. Not your everyday cricket buddy, more like a high-level executive who probably spends more time in meetings than on the pitch.
Virat Kohli clicked with Shash Kiran in London. 📸🤍 pic.twitter.com/ft6mpylxsD
— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) August 8, 2025
But when you’re standing next to Virat Kohli, you instantly become part of cricket’s most dissected social moment of the week. Fans didn’t just want to know about Kohli’s beard, they also wanted to know: “Wait, who’s that guy beside our King?”
Conclusion
At the end of the day, maybe a grey beard is just a beard. Or maybe, for someone like Kohli, who’s been in the public eye for over 15 years, it becomes a symbol of change, maturity, and evolution. Whether it’s the closing of a chapter like Test cricket, or the speculation that Virat Kohli takes retirement from ODI could happen before the 2027 World Cup, fans are bracing for what’s next.
And honestly? Grey or not, he’s still the player who changed the way India played cricket. Virat Kohli’s grey beard might’ve surprised us, but his legacy? That’s timeless. And hey! Thanks to that one photo with Shash Kiran, we all just had a collective cricket therapy session on the internet.
