Virat Kohli brutally attacked online after cryptic X post revealed as an AD, not career news

Ahead of India’s three-match ODI series against Australia starting on October 19, Virat Kohli shared a cryptic post on social media that quickly went viral. While fans speculated it hinted at his plans for the 2027 World Cup, the post faced backlash after it was revealed to be an advertisement rather than career news.

India’s ODI team, led by Shubman Gill, arrived in Perth ahead of the three-match series against Australia, captained by Mitchell Marsh. Kohli is set to make his first international appearance since India’s 2025 Champions Trophy victory. Following the ODIs, India will continue their tour with a five-match T20I series.

The Only Time You Truly Fail - Virat Kohli

On Thursday, October 16, Virat Kohli shared the post on X (formerly known as Twitter). The post, which quickly went viral, stated that true failure comes only when one gives up. Fans felt that Kohli is not ready to retire and remains focused on continuing his cricketing journey.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“The only time you truly fail, is when you decide to give up," Kohli wrote.

Virat’s last non-brand-related tweet was wishing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a happy birthday on September 17. He was also active during India’s tour of England, where he praised the Gill-led Test team for their performances in Birmingham and at the Oval.

Virat Kohli Brutally Attacked Online After Cryptic X Post

Following his viral post, Kohli shared another message on X featuring a promotional video for his apparel brand Wrogn. The clip highlighted how failures teach lessons that victories cannot, drawing from Kohli’s own experiences with the highs and lows of his cricketing career.

Fans, however, reacted negatively when they realized the post was an advertisement rather than an update on his playing future.

Kohli is so obvious that almost anyone could've guessed your next move. 😂

— Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) October 16, 2025

Bhai Boland wrogn hi use krta kya ? Kafi failure diya tereko but teach kuch na hua 😭

— pseudoengineer (@pseudoer) October 16, 2025

Nice trap Virat Kohli saab 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/9YH45Z22hS

— Ministry Of Sarcasm (@M_OfSarcasm) October 16, 2025

😭😭motivational ad bana diya 😭😭

— Vikas Sharma (@itsvksharma_) October 16, 2025

Bcc have some shameeee???

— Saurav (@Saurav_viratian) October 16, 2025

Also, Failure teaches.. but victory pays better 😆

— Weatherman Sumit 🇮🇳 (@WeathermanSumit) October 16, 2025

Bang on prediction🫡 pic.twitter.com/fna2UmUVIE

— Parinda 2.0🕊 (@Parinda_2) October 16, 2025

Ad tha 😭
Aur idhar log khayali pulav bana reh the...

— Anish (@Anishjain07) October 16, 2025

kapde bechne hain kya failure overcome karne ke liye?

— Abhishek Deshpande 🔂 | Ugichapla (@ugichapla) October 16, 2025

Virat Kohli Retired From Tests and T20 Internationals

Virat Kohli retired from T20Is in June 2024 following India’s World Cup win in Barbados and stepped away from Test cricket just weeks before the England tour squad announcement.

While he has been selected for India’s upcoming ODI series against Australia, selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir have not confirmed his place for the 2027 World Cup. The management prefers to take on one series at a time, considering their age and limited ODI game time.

Kohli has scored 14,181 runs in 302 ODIs at an average of 57.88, including 51 centuries and 74 fifties, with a best score of 183. In 2025, he amassed 275 runs in seven innings, including a century and two fifties.

Also read: Nepal and Oman secure T20 World Cup 2026 berths; UAE, Japan, and Qatar battle for final spot