Will Virat Kohli retire from ODIs? This is a big question arising in everyone’s mind, especially after witnessing the stalwart produce consecutive ducks in the ongoing ODI series against Australia.
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King’s Disappointed Return
The Australia series kicked off the preparations for finding the best combination of the India squad for 2027 World Cup, set to take place in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. With fresh leadership in the form of Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, the team will now look to put their best foot forward. However, the visitors have already lost the ODI series, with Virat Kohli’s duck emerging as the highlight. It might not be a good sign for the fans aspiring to see Kohli represent the country in the 2027 World Cup.
How’s Virat Kohli’s Form in Australia?
Virat Kohli enjoyed a long break ahead of the tour to Australia. He last played in the IPL final, where his side, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, beat the Punjab Kings to win their maiden title. A four-month layoff with no competitive game certainly put pressure on Kohli to contribute from the first ODI fixture in Perth. Despite Kohli’s desire to impress with a spectacular drive against Mitchell Starc, his thick edge failed to reach Cooper Connolly at the point region. He was dismissed for a duck off eight balls. Later, the Indian team scored 136/9 and failed to win the game.
VIRAT KOHLI GONE FOR HIS SECOND DUCK OF THE SERIES!#AUSvIND | #PlayoftheDay | @BKTtires pic.twitter.com/jqIdvMeX9T
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 23, 2025
Another Virat Kohli’s duck took place at Adelaide in the second ODI, which was a crucial juncture of the game. After Xavier Bartlett dismissed Shubman Gill during the first ball of the seventh over, the tourists needed a strong push from the experienced pair of Kohli and Rohit Sharma. However, Bartlett trapped Kohli plumb LBW for a duck in the fifth ball of the same over, which stunned his fans and the entire fraternity. He completely missed the length ball in his attempt to nudge the ball towards the short mid-on region, which skidded off the surface. Although Sharma (73) and Shreyas Iyer (61) played well to take India to 264/9, the hosts sealed the chase with more than three overs to spare.
𝙎𝙮𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚 🍿
Rohit Sharma 🤝 Virat Kohli
This was their 12th 1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣+ partnership in ODI’s which is the joint most in the format 🔥
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/4oXLzrhGNG#TeamIndia | #3rdODI | #AUSvIND | @ImRo45 | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/GWO75BjYez
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 25, 2025
Although Kohli finally found his form in the third ODI, scoring an unbeaten 74 and putting on a magnificent 168-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, showcasing the RO-KO combination fans had been waiting for, the Indian team comfortably chased down the 237-run target with nine wickets in hand. However, his back-to-back ducks in the first two matches still raise questions about his consistency and whether he will secure a spot in the India squad for 2027 World Cup.
Will Virat Kohli Retire from ODI After the Australia Tour?
Before the second ODI between India and Australia at Adelaide, Virat Kohli averaged 65 and scored five centuries in 12 innings across all formats. In the 50-over format, he garnered 244 runs at an average of 61, while notching up two centuries. However, Kohli couldn’t continue his purple patch this time around, getting dismissed for a duck. His lack of contribution hampered the side in getting off to a solid start in the power play.
𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 🔢
Virat Kohli surpassed Kumar Sangakkara in the tally for Most Runs in ODI cricket history 🫡
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/4oXLzrhGNG#TeamIndia | #3rdODI | #AUSvIND | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/bf9lnynpn2
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 25, 2025
On his return to the dugout, Virat Kohli waved at the crowd and accepted the warm ovation from the fans. It looked as if the veteran batter might have signalled that it was his final innings at Adelaide. After retiring from T20Is and Tests, Kohli’s struggle in his preferred format is not a sight worth watching for the fans. However, this is not the end of the story for his 50-over career, as the 36-year-old has a lot to offer for the Indian team.
A CHEEKY CELEBRATION BY KOHLI AFTER TAKING 1 RUN. 😂 pic.twitter.com/LCqxMc3AZa
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 25, 2025
Kohli finally broke his duck streak in Sydney, producing a confident and composed innings that steered India comfortably to victory. Together with Rohit Sharma, he built a dominant stand that effectively sealed the match, allowing India to overtake Australia’s total with plenty of wickets in hand. This innings not only highlighted Kohli’s ability to rebound under pressure but also reminded fans of the class and experience he continues to bring to the team.
🚨 VIRAT KOHLI HAS 126 FIFTY PLUS SCORES FROM 293 INNINGS IN ODIs 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DsVRrwVpWB
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 25, 2025
While his initial failures in the series raised questions about his consistency, the strong showing in the final ODI reaffirmed that Kohli still has a lot to offer in the 50-over format. At 36, he continues to have the backing of the team management, and this performance makes it clear that doubts about will Virat Kohli will retire from ODI are premature. He remains very much capable of contributing at the highest level despite the rough start in Australia.
Related Article：BCCI’s ‘Tough Love’ Pays Off? RO-KO ODI Retirement Talk Heats Up
Will Kohli Feature in the India Squad for 2027 World Cup?
Virat Kohli’s stature as an ODI player is unmatched, due to his holding a plethora of records in the format. The ability to convert his starts into big knocks, successfully get the team out of difficult situations due to his mental toughness, and years of experience as a match-winner set him apart from other players. Let’s take a scenario where Kohli doesn’t retire from the ODI format, and his candidacy for the 2027 World Cup is judged by his form. Of course, there are other players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma knocking down the doors hard with their consistent performances.
🚨Virat Kohli in Australia🚨
⚡️Most International 100s by a visiting batter (12)
⚡️3rd most runs by a visiting batter across formats
⚡️Scored his maiden Test century
⚡️Twin 100s on captaincy debut
⚡️Only Indian captain to win a bilateral ODI series
⚡️Top-scorer in 2022 T20 WC pic.twitter.com/GONC2stbMc— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) October 26, 2025
The upcoming home ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand will be a critical one for Kohli, as he hopes to get back on track to delay the end of his legendary career. Because the surfaces at home will suit his playing style, and he will be expected to be among the top run-scorers. The contributions in this series will be a key indicator to assess will Virat Kohli retire from ODI or not ahead of the mega event. Virat Kohli’s duck might just be an ignition, which will fuel the stalwart’s engine in getting back to his prime and making a strong case for himself for the India squad for 2027 World Cup.
