On social media, a recent image of Virat Kohli with a fan in London has gone viral. The Indian cricketer can be seen posing for the snap, clothed in a sweatshirt and a black cap.
However, Kohli's beard, which had a notably higher proportion of white than black hair, was the image's most noticeable feature.
Following India's victory at the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year, Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is. Few predicted that he would leave Test cricket in the middle of the IPL 2025 season, even if his departure from the shortest format was widely expected.
Although he began the series with a century in Perth, Kohli had a difficult Test series in Australia in 2024–25, scoring only 190 runs in five games. After India lost the series 1-3, there were concerns regarding his position in the team.
When Kohli withdrew from Test cricket in May, just days before the India selection for the England tour was to be revealed, fears were realized.
And the 36-year-old superstar may be nearing retirement from international cricket, according to several admirers who thought he was nearly unrecognizable. Maybe an overreaction? Perhaps not—especially since Kohli himself once jokingly linked his graying beard to his imminent retirement from Test cricket.
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