"Why are we even trying to debate this?" - Rohan Gavaskar questions retirement chatter around Team India's star batter

Former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar has expressed surprise over talks about Virat Kohli's international retirement. Questioning the debate around the topic, he opined that there is no reason to discuss it since Kohli is very much at the top of his game in the one-day format.

Kohli had a forgettable Test tour of Australia, managing only 190 runs in nine innings at a dismal average of 23.75. There were questions marks over his future after the horror series. The 36-year-old, however, answered critics with some fine performances in Team India's 2025 Champions Trophy-winning campaign.

During a discussion on Cricbuzz, Gavaskar pointed out that Kohli has been scoring runs consistently in one-day cricket. Expressing surprise on the debate over his cricketing future, he stated:

"With Virat, forget fitness, just his batting ability and his form, the runs he is scoring in the ODI version, this really shouldn't be a topic of conversation at all. He is one of the greatest to have played the game. Why are we even trying to debate this?"

The 49-year-old went on to add that age shouldn't be a factor while selecting a team for the country, stating that performance should be the only criteria. He said:

"When you are playing for your country, whether you are 12, 13, 14 or 40, 42, 43 - it shouldn't make any difference. You pick the best 15, whatever your age may be. If a player is in your best 15, best 11, you pick him irrespective of age because you are playing for your country. You want the best players out there."

Kohli was the second-leading run-getter for India in their 2025 Champions Trophy win. He scored 218 runs in five innings at an average of 54.50 and a strike rate of 82.89, with a best of 100* against Pakistan.

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"Winning four ICC titles is truly a blessing" - Virat Kohli

The 2025 Champions Trophy triumph marked Kohli's fourth ICC title as a player. He was earlier part of the Indian team that won the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Speaking to the host broadcaster after Team India's latest triumph in an ICC event, Kohli said:

"Winning four ICC titles is truly a blessing, and I consider myself very lucky to have played for so long and achieved this.

"Throughout the tournament, different players stepped up in different matches. There were moments in past tournaments where we weren't able to finish games or capitalize on crucial situations. But this time, we learned from those experiences," he commented.

India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the 2025 Champions Trophy final on Sunday, March 9, in Dubai. Chasing a target of 252, they got home in 49 overs.