Virat Kohli arrived in India on Tuesday ahead of the three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on November 30. The former Indian captain was spotted at the Mumbai airport, where fans flocked around him hoping for a selfie before he rejoined the national setup. With his retirement from Tests and T20Is now firmly behind him, Kohli has shifted his complete focus to the 50-over format, keeping one clear goal in mind — representing India in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
His last ODI appearance came in the three-match series against Australia, where India slipped to a 1-2 defeat. At the Sydney Cricket Ground, however, Kohli produced a vintage, unbeaten 74, guiding India to a comfortable chase of 237 and preventing a clean sweep. It was an innings that rekindled memories of his peak chasing years, underscoring why he remains one of the greatest one-day batters of all time.
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But the cricketing world was stunned earlier in May 2025 when Kohli announced his unexpected retirement from Test cricket. The decision, abrupt and uncharacteristic, sparked widespread debate and left a significant void in India’s red-ball setup.
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Many former cricketers felt that Kohli’s departure robbed the Test side of a leader who brought unmatched intensity, belief and competitive fire — qualities that often defined India’s success overseas.
Former Bengal cricketer and Kohli’s ex-RCB teammate Shreevats Goswami echoed this sentiment while reflecting on India’s ongoing struggles in the current series against South Africa, where the hosts have conceded a massive 749 runs across two innings. According to Goswami, what India lacks most right now is the passion and energy Kohli brought to the Test arena.
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Sharing his thoughts on X, Goswami remarked that Kohli should have ideally stepped away from ODIs instead, preserving his red-ball brilliance for as long as possible. “Ideally Virat should have left playing ODIs and continued playing Test cricket until he had nothing to give. Test cricket misses him,” Goswami wrote, praising Kohli not only for his performances but for the attitude and belief he instilled in the team across conditions.
Ideally Virat should have left playing ODIs & continued playing test cricket untill he had nothing to give. Test cricket misses him. Not just as a player but just the energy he brought, the love & passion playing for 🇮🇳 where he made the team believe that they can win in any…
— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) November 24, 2025
As India prepares for the ODI series, all eyes will be on Kohli once again — a player whose presence continues to influence the team’s mindset and fortunes, even after stepping away from two formats.
