Virat Kohli Teases Fans With Cryptic Tweet Amid Retirement Rumors, Surprises Them Two Hours Later

Surprisingly, it was Virat Kohli's first tweet in months, as the 36-year-old had intentionally chosen to stay away from social media platforms.

Virat Kohli Teases Fans With Cryptic Tweet Amid Retirement Rumors, Surprises Them Two Hours Later

Virat Kohli shared a cryptic tweet on social media, adressing his future with the Indian team, before taking fans by surprise. (via SportsTak)

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Indian cricketing icon Virat Kohli teased fans with a cryptic social media message, right after landing in Australia for a white-ball series. Kohli’s ambiguous message, seemingly related to his future with the Indian cricket team, later turned out to be an advertisement for the player’s brand. 

Virat Kohli has travelled to Australia with the Indian ODI team to take part in a three-match One-Day series against the six-time World Cup winners. It marks Kohli’s return to competitive cricket, months after the end of a memorable 2025 IPL campiagn, where he guided RCB to its maiden title. It will also be the 36-year-old’s first appearance in India colours since the 2025 Champions Trophy final, against New Zealand. 

Since the disappointing 2023 World Cup final defeat to Australia, Kohli has enjoyed a favorable run of trophy success, winning a T20 World Cup last summer, followed by two major titles since the start of the year.

However, the veteran batting icon, who is just 54 runs away from becoming the second highest run-getter in ODIs, had called time on his T20I career last year, before announcing his shock retirement from Test cricket as well.

Thereafter, it uncertainity looms over his association with Indian ODI setup, owing to concerns over lasting form and fitness. Amidst questions of his future ahead of the three-match ODI series Down Under, the Indian cricketing stalwart shared a cryptic tweet that caught the internet on fire. He wrote, “The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up”, a message which many believed was aimed at refuting rumors surrounding his retirement from ODI cricket.

Kohli’s initial message kicked off a storm of speculation among fans and users on social media. They were only handed a sigh of relief about two hours later when it became clear the tweet was part of a promotional campaign for his apparel brand, ‘Wrogn’. Kohli shared a follow-up video of a ‘Wrogn’ advertisement on social media, this time with the caption, “Failure teaches you what victory never will”.

Nonetheless, the social media banter comes at a crucial juncture, when Virat Kohli is expected to be at his best in the three ODIs against Australia. The last time he was on the pitch for the Men in Blue was at the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he finished among the highest run-getters.

Australian pacer names Virat Kohli’s best innings against Australia

Out-of-favor Australian pacer Kane Richardson recalled an innings played by Indian stalwart and batting icon Virat Kohli, during an ODI in 2017. The 34-year-old pacer exclaimed that the knock proved why Kohli is considered the greatest in the history of the sport. 

Kane Richardson on Virat Kohli
Kane Richardson recalled Virat Kohli’s 92-run innings in an ODI against Australia in 2017, in the scorching heat of Kolkata. (via News 18)

On a recent podcast, Richardson talked about Virat Kohli’s standout 92-run innings off just 107 deliveries against Australia, in the second ODI of a five-match series at the Eden Garden in Kolkata. The Aussie pacer recalled the intense weather conditions in Kolkata at the time, noting that many Australian players were struggling with the heat and humidity, with Matthew Wade having even vomited on the pitch. 

However, Richardson revealed that it was Kohli who lit up the stadium with his brilliant knock, with the physical endurance needed in the extreme conditions. He stated that the innings solidified the former Indian captain’s stature as a cricketing legend.

Richardson even exclaimed that Kohli was on a completely different level on that day, and had the ability to bat in conditions across the world. The pacer said on the Cricket.com.au podcast:

That one would not stick out to many people in terms of being the most high-profile. But I just remember that was when I was like, this guy [Virat Kohli] is a completely different level, no matter the condition.

Courtesy of Virat Kohli’s innings in the ODI against Australia in 2017, the Men in Blue had posted a competitive first-innings total of 252 runs. The home side went on to seal the match in the end, with Australia managing to score just 202 runs in 43.1 overs, before getting bowled out. 

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