Is This the Only Time You Truly Fail? Kohli’s Cryptic Message Before His Return in India Colours

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Virat Kohli shares a motivational message about resilience.
- India's ODI series against Australia starts on October 19.
- Kohli returns to the national squad after a successful Champions Trophy.
- Shubman Gill is the new ODI captain.
- Gautam Gambhir advocates for focusing on the present for team success.
New Delhi, Oct 16 (NationPress) As he gears up for his highly anticipated comeback to the Indian team for the ODI series against Australia, cricketing icon Virat Kohli shared a thought-provoking message on social media, igniting discussions about his ongoing international cricket journey.
“The only time you truly fail is when you choose to give up,” expressed Kohli in a post on X, which quickly garnered over 739K views within just an hour.
India's white-ball tour of Australia is set to kick off with the ODI opener on October 19 at Perth Stadium, followed by matches at Adelaide Oval and the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 23 and 25, respectively. This will be followed by a five-match T20I series starting on October 29.
Marking his return to the national setup for the first time since clinching the Champions Trophy in March, Kohli was the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer.
Since retiring from both Tests and T20Is in June 2024, his focus is now entirely on ODIs for India and his commitments in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
With an impressive tally of 14,181 runs in 302 ODIs, Kohli's last appearance in competitive cricket was when he scored a pivotal 43 in the IPL 2025 final, leading RCB to their maiden trophy victory over Punjab Kings by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
He will now play under the leadership of new captain Shubman Gill, who has taken over the ODI captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who has also stepped away from T20Is and Tests.
With the next ODI World Cup looming two years ahead, uncertainties surround Kohli, 36, and Rohit, 38, regarding their future performance.
Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir offered his candid perspective on the future of Kohli and Rohit with respect to the ODI World Cup 2027. He emphasized the need for the team to concentrate on the present while expressing optimism for their successful tour in Australia, commencing on October 19.
"Look, the ODI World Cup is still about two and a half years away, and it’s crucial to focus on the present. Obviously, there are quality players returning, and their experience will be invaluable in Australia. Hopefully, both will have a fruitful tour, and more importantly, the team will achieve great success," Gambhir remarked.