Virat Kohli returned to form in the ODI series against South Africa. The senior batter struck back to back hundreds in the series and celebrated with tremendous passion on both occasions. Each time he reached his milestone, Virat leapt high into the air and screamed at the top of his voice, expressing a release of emotion that instantly caught attention.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took note of both celebrations and wondered whether they were connected to Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin posed a simple question: was Virat celebrating his hundreds that intensely to remind people that they should never have doubted him?
“Why is Virat celebrating like that? What is he thinking and what has he gone through? Let us not forget that Virat left Test cricket. Both events felt very synchronous. He loved Test cricket and always wanted to play, but he stepped away because the situation was not only about what he wanted. There was chatter around him and questions about his lack of runs in Tests, and we do not truly know what he was dealing with. Leaving the sport in any capacity is a major decision,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat.
A year ago, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) made it mandatory for every Indian cricketer to participate in domestic cricket. The rule compelled senior players to return to the domestic circuit, even though many of them were already dealing with the challenges of a packed three-format international schedule.
As a result, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played Ranji Trophy matches in early 2025, breaking almost a decade-long absence from the competition. Following a pair of difficult Test series, both players eventually chose to retire from red ball cricket. However, many observers believed that Rohit and Virat had been pushed into retirement, especially since neither had given any prior indication that they were considering stepping away from the format.
Virat Kohli Hurt by BCCI’s Treatment?
With reports emerging that Virat would be playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ashwin suggested that Kohli might have felt disrespected by the implication that he needed to prove his worth in domestic cricket despite more than fifteen years of international experience. Ashwin argued that this sense of frustration could explain the fierce roars that Kohli let out each time he reached a century, almost as if he wanted those celebrations to be heard by the right people.
“He must have taken it personally that people were doubting his skill and ability, and that he felt the need to show everyone what he is still capable of. Sometimes, when you are desperate to prove yourself, you can get out, and perhaps that happened to Virat in the past. But now he seems to be saying that if you doubted me, here is the proof of what I can still do. He looks in a good mental space. His centre of gravity is much lower than it had been over the last couple of years, which is a crucial element in timing the ball well and judging the length early,” Ashwin concluded.
Virat Kohli has been India’s best ODI performer since the Champions Trophy 2025. He has scored 311 runs at an average of 77, reaffirming his dominance in the format. Kohli will once again be a major focus when India face South Africa in the third and final ODI of the series in Vizag on Saturday, December 6.
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