Ahead of his highly anticipated comeback in India colours this week in Australia, Virat Kohli has raised eyebrows with a cryptic social media post, three days out from the opening fixture at the Optus Stadium in Perth, stirring further speculations over his playing future.
“The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up,” wrote Kohli on Thursday morning on an X post that has since gone viral with over 178,000 views in 25 minutes.
Kohli’s faithful have attempted to decode the post, with fans suggesting that the message was more of a commitment to his ODI assignments over anything else. Kohli’s last campaign for the Men in Blue was during the Champions Trophy 2025 triumph in the United Arab Emirates. After flattening Pakistan with a hundred in the group stage, Kohli played a vital hand in the semi-final against Australia and emerged as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
The only time you truly fail, is when you decide to give up.
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 16, 2025
After a disastrous run in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier, Kohli would drop a bombshell Test retirement announcement in May, mid-way through the IPL 2025 season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, that he would clinch for the first time in his career. “There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for,” Kohli had then written on social media.
Gambhir’s assessment on Kohli, Rohit
Speaking after India’s victorious Test series against West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir had remarked on the comeback of Kohli and former captain Rohit Sharma. Gambhir affirmed that it was impractical to look ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup, and rather wished that the senior duo had a fine tour Down Under.
“They (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli) are quality players, and their experience will be invaluable. With the 2027 World Cup still two and a half years away, it’s important to stay focused on the present. Kohli and Rohit are both exceptional players, and their return will be a big boost. Hopefully, they have a successful tour, and more importantly, the team comes out with a strong series performance in Australia,” Gambhir said after the India vs West Indies series.
