Ravi Shastri nearly has a heart attack as Virat Kohli waves goodbye to Australia

Veteran Indian batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma delivered a memorable performance in their final international appearance in Australia. The duo guided the team to a nine-wicket victory, denying a whitewash to the Mitchell Marsh-led side at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Saturday, October 25.

Virat and Rohit added an unbeaten 168-run partnership in just 170 balls for the second wicket. They helped the Indian team chase down the 237-run target in 38.3 overs. Rohit scored his 33rd ODI century, while Kohli, who registered back-to-back ducks earlier in the series, scored an unbeaten half-century.

We Want to Say Thank You As Well - Virat Kohli

After their match-winning performance, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma joined former cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Ravi Shastri on Fox Sports. The duo, who added their first century partnership together since January 2020, shared memories from their illustrious careers in Australia.

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During the conversation, Gilchrist thanked the Indian batting legends on behalf of Australia. The former wicketkeeper-batter also wished them luck for the upcoming matches and the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Kohli and Rohit remained composed and reserved, offering no direct response to the hints. Kohli, however, expressed gratitude in return, saying, “No, we want to say thank you as well.”

Thank You So Much For Welcoming Us Here - Virat Kohli

Ravi Shastri got a mini heart attack here🤣❤️.pic.twitter.com/mT1H1zY1OR

— mutual.stark (@mutualstark) October 25, 2025

During the interview, Kohli’s words initially caused Ravi Shastri to nearly panic, as it seemed he might be hinting at retirement amid speculation over the past two months.

However, Kohli clarified that his message was directed at the Australian crowd. He expressed gratitude for the support and warmth they received while playing in Australia and the enjoyment of competing in front of such passionate fans.

“We loved coming to this country and playing in front of such a big crowd. We played some of our best cricket here. Thank you so much for welcoming us here so well. You guys are brilliant, and we never felt short of support here,” he continued.

Rohit Sharma echoed the sentiment, adding a heartfelt, “Thank you, Australia!” as the duo concluded their farewell remarks.

Virat Kohli Becomes the Second-Highest Run Scorer in ODIs

Virat Kohli reached a remarkable milestone during his unbeaten 74. The batter became the second-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket. He surpassed Kumar Sangakkara, who finished his career with 14,234 runs from 380 innings at an average of 41.98, including 25 centuries and 93 fifties.

Kohli has scored 14,255 runs from 293 innings at an average of 57.71, with 51 centuries and 75 half-centuries. He is only behind Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 18,426 runs from 452 innings.

Notably, Kohli also became the highest run-scorer in combined white-ball international cricket (ODIs plus T20Is), amassing 18,443 runs across both formats. The right-handed batter surpassed Tendulkar’s tally of 18,436.

The 36-year-old batter is likely to retain his place for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting on Sunday, November 30. As per the schedule, the Men in Blue will take on the Proteas in the series opener in Ranchi.

Also read: BCCI issues official statement after molestation of Australian Women cricketers in Indore