‘You fail, when you give up,’ Virat Kohli pens emotional note ahead of ODI comeback, sparks speculation about his future

India's batting mainstay Virat Kohli dropped an emotional post about his failure before making his international return during the first ODI against Australia in Perth on Sunday.

Virat will don the Indian jersey for the first time since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9. He was due to return to the Test format for India's tour of England for the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but instead opted to pull the curtains down on his 14-year-long Test career with a heartfelt note.

Questions and debates have been mounting about how Virat will fare on Australia's fast-paced strips and whether the three-match tour would be the last the world will see of him. While Virat has made his intentions clear about featuring in the 2027 World Cup, recent speculation suggests that it may not pan out as many have hoped.

While fans and former cricketers continue to predict Virat's future, the 36-year-old dropped a cryptic message about failure. With a quote, Virat has possibly dropped a subtle hint about his future ambitions just three days before his comeback to ODIs, a format he has excelled in.

"The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up," Virat wrote on X on Thursday.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has dismissed the rumours of retirement for Kohli and Rohit Sharma, confirming that both senior players remain integral to India’s long-term ODI plans.

“Not as far as I know. I think they have both done their fitness tests or the fitness norms that have been suggested. As far as I know and the selectors know, they have gone through the required norms that have been put in place. I haven't heard anything other than that,” Agarkar clarified during the squad announcement, stressing that there was no discussion about their immediate future beyond performance and form.

"That's the format they (Virat and Rohit) are playing at the moment. We picked them as far as the 2027 World Cup is concerned. I don't think we need to talk about it today. Obviously, with the captaincy change, that's generally the thought," he added.

Earlier this week, after India swept the series 2-0 against the West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir weighed in on the future of Rohit and Virat. Gambhir emphasised the importance of staying in the present and remained hopeful that the veteran duo would thrive in Australia's challenging conditions.

“The 50-over World Cup is still two-and-a-half years away. It is important to stay in the present. That is something which is very important. Obviously, they are quality players; they're coming back. Their experience is going to be handful in Australia as well. Hopefully, the two will have a successful tour," Gambhir said.