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The Current Nightmare: October 2025
Virat Kohli's return to international cricket after a six-month break became a nightmare scenario on the Australian tour in October 2025. The batting genius—who has 51 ODI centuries, 14,181 runs, and a career average of 57.88—faced back-to-back ducks for the first time in his 303-match ODI career. First, Mitchell Starc dismissed him for an eight-ball duck in Perth. Four days later, Xavier Bartlett removed him in just four balls in Adelaide.
For a player who has dominated modern cricket, these consecutive ducks triggered immediate retirement speculation. When Kohli raised his gloves to acknowledge the Adelaide crowd after his second dismissal, the gesture sparked intense debate: Was it gratitude, or a goodbye to international cricket? His 2025 ODI average had plummeted to 45.83 across seven matches—a stark contrast to his illustrious career trajectory.
The core issue plaguing Kohli remains unchanged: a technical vulnerability outside the off-stump channel. Australian bowlers, particularly Scott Boland, have deliberately exploited this weakness, acknowledging their strategy of shifting lines once Kohli settles at the crease. This is the same flaw that haunted him during his Test cricket decline, eventually contributing to his retirement from the format.
Historical Parallels: When Greatness Fades
Kohli's crisis isn't unique. Cricket history is filled with examples of once-invincible batsmen facing sudden, startling declines as they approached career twilight. The reasons vary—technical, mental, age-related reflexes, or simply the sport's merciless nature of moving on. Here's how today's legend's struggles mirror those who came before.
Sachin Tendulkar: The Reluctant Fade (2012-2013)
Perhaps the closest parallel to Kohli's current situation is Sachin Tendulkar's final years. Before 2019, Tendulkar never averaged less than 30 in a calendar year except in 2011, his debut year. He had enjoyed eight years (2011-2019) with averages consistently above 42. Then the collapse came.
From 2020 onwards, Tendulkar averaged in the 20s in three of four years:
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2020: 19.33 in five Tests
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2021: 28.21 in 11 Tests
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2022: 26.50 in six Tests
Tendulkar's decline forced a difficult admission: The selection committee would have dropped him if he hadn't retired from ODIs in December 2012. Former chief selector Sandeep Patil revealed in 2016 that Tendulkar understood the writing on the wall. When the selectors met him on December 12, 2012, Tendulkar initially claimed retirement wasn't on his mind. But after understanding the committee's consensus to drop him from the Pakistan series, he announced his ODI retirement. The Test cricket saga continued for another year before he retired after his 200th Test in November 2013.
Tendulkar's final Test average dipped to just above 46—a number that would have been unimaginable during his peak years when he regularly averaged 50+. The Master Blaster's struggle with the moving ball in English conditions and general reflexes decline forced the end.
Steve Smith: The 2023 Slump (Age 34)
Modern cricket has witnessed another striking form crisis: Steve Smith's remarkable dip in 2023-2024, precisely when Kohli faces his current struggles.
Smith's Extraordinary Decline:
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2022: Averaged 58.4 across 11 Tests
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2023: Averaged 42.2 across 13 Tests (worst year since 2013)
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2024-2025 cycle: Averaged 31.54 in the ICC World Test Championship
In December 2024, despite scoring just 19 runs in three innings against India in Brisbane, Smith insisted he wasn't "out of form, just out of runs." But the statistics told a harsher story. His career average had dropped from 67.02 (during 2014-2022 peak) to 39.67 by late 2024. The aggressive strokes that defined his era disappeared. Instead of dominating, he found himself constantly getting beaten by deliveries, particularly on the pads.
Smith's struggles differed slightly from Kohli's—they weren't concentrated to one technical weakness but rather a broader decline in timing, hand-eye coordination, and decision-making. Aging at 35, Smith faced questions about whether his natural decline post-35 was setting in (similar to what even Sachin experienced).
Brian Lara: The Burden of Records (1995-1998)
Perhaps the most psychologically revealing form crisis came from Brian Lara between 1995-1998. After reaching the zenith from 1989-1995, Lara entered a "downward spiral" that lasted three years. He would later reveal experiencing "despair" during this period—a mental health crisis that, if it occurred today, would be openly discussed.
Lara confessed: "I remember occasions where I lay in my room feeling the despair. It (mental health issue) is real, it is part of all sport." The pressure of holding dual world records (highest individual Test score, then broken and reclaimed) combined with the West Indies' declining fortunes created a perfect storm. Unlike Smith or Kohli, whose decline was primarily technical, Lara's was psychological.
He eventually recovered (1998 onwards) and went on to play until 2007, but that three-year period demonstrated that even the greatest minds struggle under sustained pressure and expectation.
Kumar Sangakkara: Retiring at the Peak (2015)
Sangakkara's situation contrasts sharply with Kohli's current crisis. Rather than facing form collapse, Sangakkara chose to retire while still performing brilliantly. In World Cup 2015 (age 37), he scored four consecutive centuries—breaking records—yet announced retirement immediately afterward.
His reasoning: "Retirement is not about form, it is about time and place and whether it feels right. It is never about whether you can play or not."
Sangakkara averaged 58.31 across 132 Tests and scored 38 Test centuries. He recognized that rather than hang on until form declined (as Tendulkar and Lara had), the time was right to pass the baton to younger players. This demonstrates a different career arc: one where mental clarity and dignity override the ego's desire to keep playing.
AB de Villiers: The Unexpected Retirement (2018-2021)
De Villiers' situation offers yet another variation. In 2018, at age 34, he announced retirement from international cricket "to give new players a chance." Unlike Tendulkar or Lara, he didn't face imminent form collapse—he proactively chose to step down.
However, the deeper issue was burnout. De Villiers later admitted that professional cricket's intensity and franchise leagues had become a burden. He was still capable but mentally exhausted by the relentless schedule and pressure. By 2021, he retired from all cricket, including franchise leagues, admitting that taking on professional contracts created stress he no longer wanted to endure.
The Kohli Factor: Why His Crisis Feels Different
Several elements make Kohli's current situation particularly poignant:
1. The Age Paradox
At 36, Kohli is younger than Tendulkar was during some of his greatest performances. Sachin averaged over 50 at age 38-39. Yet Kohli's reflexes and fitness remain elite—his IPL form continues to be respectable, and his white-ball performances in other formats suggest the decline is format-specific and technical rather than wholesale deterioration.
2. Technical Rigidity
Unlike some historical declines that were natural age-related processes, Kohli's issue is methodical and exploitable. Bowlers have identified the fifth-stump weakness and systematized it. This is different from Tendulkar's general reflexes decline or Lara's mental crisis. It's a technical problem that, theoretically, could be corrected—yet Kohli hasn't found the solution despite two years of struggling with it.
3. The Selective Format Collapse
Kohli retired from Test cricket in January 2025 with an average below 47 after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour. Yet in ODIs during the Champions Trophy earlier in 2025, he scored 275 runs in seven matches with a century. The inconsistency suggests he hasn't lost his ability entirely—the issue is context-dependent.
4. The Mental Pressure
Unlike Sangakkara's calm retirement or de Villiers' proactive choice, Kohli appears caught between ego and reality. His December 2025 cryptic post—"The only time you truly fail is when you decide to give up"—suggested he was fighting against accepting decline. This mirrors Tendulkar's struggle to accept the selection committee's hint, or Lara's psychological battle during 1995-1998.
When Do Legends Know It's Time?
The research reveals no universal truth about retirement timing. Instead, three distinct categories emerge:
The Reluctant Decline (Tendulkar, Lara):
These players hung on despite visible deterioration, often requiring external pressure (selectors, media, public opinion) to finally retire. Both maintained their dignity but perhaps waited one or two years too long. Their legacies weren't tarnished but questions lingered about "what if" they'd retired earlier.
The Strategic Retreat (Sangakkara, Early-career de Villiers):
These players recognized the timing and stepped aside while still capable. Sangakkara retired at the peak; de Villiers (initially) chose to step back to give younger players chances. Their retirements felt earned rather than forced. Ironically, de Villiers later hinted at comebacks, suggesting the decision's reversibility.
The Gradual Recalibration (Smith, Current Kohli):
These players adapted expectations, shifted formats, or changed roles (captaincy to senior batsman). Smith moved to opening; Kohli retreated to ODI/T20 focus after Test retirement. This approach accepts decline in specific areas while maintaining relevance elsewhere.
What Lies Ahead for Kohli?
Based on historical precedent, Kohli faces several possible trajectories:
Scenario 1: The Technical Fix
If he can solve the fifth-stump vulnerability (unlikely given two years of unsuccessful attempts), he might enjoy another productive phase similar to Sangakkara's surprise 2015 World Cup. This requires humility, coaching adjustments, and accepting shorter stays at the crease.
Scenario 2: The Format Shift
Like Smith moving to opening, Kohli could redefine his ODI role. Playing as a middle-order stabilizer rather than aggressive opener might suit his current strengths. T20 leagues (IPL, franchises abroad) could become his primary focus, as de Villiers maintained through franchise cricket.
Scenario 3: The Graceful Exit
Following Sangakkara's path, Kohli could announce retirement while still capable of occasional brilliance. A farewell series (perhaps against Pakistan or at home) would let him exit on his terms rather than fade away with consecutive ducks.
Scenario 4: The Lingering Decline
Like Tendulkar, he might continue playing through poor form, eventually forced into retirement by circumstances rather than choice. This path risks damaging his legacy with prolonged underperformance.
The Bigger Picture: Why Great Players Struggle at Career's End
Cricket's literature suggests universal reasons for late-career form crises:
Physical Decline: Reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and recovery from injuries naturally deteriorate. Even elite athletes can't escape biology.
Technical Adaptation: Bowlers study extensively. What worked for decades (Kohli's attacking shots to width, Tendulkar's leaves to lines) becomes predictable. Adjustment requires flexibility that legends—who succeeded through rigid principles—often struggle to embrace.
Mental Fatigue: The psychological toll of 15-20 years of international cricket, constant media scrutiny, expectation management, and role transitions accumulates. Lara's "despair" and de Villiers' burnout attest to this hidden struggle.
Contextual Factors: Format changes (impact of T20 on reflexes), pitch evolution (modern Test pitches favor bowlers more), tactical innovations (field placements, pace variations), and peer evolution all shift the landscape. A batsman can't remain static while the game evolves.
Ego and Identity: For players whose entire identity revolves around cricket excellence, accepting mediocrity is existentially challenging. Sangakkara succeeded partly because he'd built a life beyond cricket; Tendulkar struggled because cricket was his life.
Conclusion: The Inevitable Arc
Virat Kohli's form crisis in October 2025 isn't a aberration—it's part of cricket's oldest narrative: the arc from ascent to dominance to decline. Whether this arc ends gracefully (Sangakkara), reluctantly (Tendulkar), through comeback (de Villiers), or with unanswered questions (Lara) remains Kohli's choice.
What history teaches is that the greatest players rarely know when to stop. The luxury of choosing your exit is reserved for the exceptional few like Sangakkara. For most—Tendulkar, Lara, Smith, even modern Kohli—decline precedes the final farewell. The tragedy isn't in declining but in the liminal space between knowing it's time and refusing to accept it.
Kohli's Adelaide gloves gesture might have meant goodbye to spectators, or it might have been hello to a new chapter. Only time will tell whether his current crisis becomes his final bow or merely another chapter in cricket's greatest comeback stories.
