Virat Kohli almost unrecognisable with grey beard in viral photo, fans worry 'ODI retirement loading'

Virat Kohli almost unrecognisable with grey beard in viral photo

India's talismanic batter Virat Kohli has sparked a fresh concern among fans after a photo of him with a fan went viral on social media. Kohli posed for a photo with a person, named Shash Patel, which immediately switched focus towards the cricketer's beard.

Kohli appeared almost unrecognisable in the photo with his beard completely grey and it left the fans concerned. The new photo emerged in less than a month since he made a public appearance at an event hosted by Yuvraj Singh in England.

During the event, Kohli addressed his shocking retirement from the Test format, which he brushed it off by pointing at the colour of his beard. "I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it's time when you are colouring your beard every four days," Kohli remarked at the event.

Now this new photo got fans more curious and many suggested "ODI retirement loading". Here are a few reactions:

Dadhi itni safed ho gyi mtlb ab ODi se bhi gaya ye

— PAWAN (@_bas_kar_pawan) August 8, 2025

People expected Kohli to comeback in whites but bro's beard is turning white.
Hope some day he comes back in whites!!! #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/Ee0MWj9Lre

— Filmy Cricketer (@tweeterzguy) August 8, 2025

White beard, dimming fire, and tired eyes.
Yes, that’s Virat Kohli in his latest pic from London.
The King has begun to lay down his sword…
We've probably reached the ending we never wanted to see! pic.twitter.com/b7eplE98Qd

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— A` (@Was_abhi18) August 8, 2025

He didn’t even colour his beard now. ODI retirement loading !!

— The last dance (@26lastdance) August 8, 2025

This isn’t the first time Kohli’s grey beard has grabbed attention. In fact, when he stepped down as India's Test captain in 2022, his wife Anushka Sharma, in her caption, noted an interesting anecdote involving the couple and MS Dhoni.

"I remember MS [Dhoni], you and I having a chat and him joking about how quickly your beard will start turning grey. We all had a good laugh about it. Since that day, I've seen more than just your beard turning grey. I've seen growth; immense growth," the caption read.

Kohli has retired from T20Is and ODI is the only format where he remains active. Apart from representing India, Kohli is also an integral part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise in the Indian Premier League.