R Ashwin's cryptic post sparks speculation, netizens ask is it for Virat Kohli's farewell or Gautam Gambhir's exit?

Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s spin maestro turned social media enigma, has unleashed a storm with a single post that has got cricket fans buzzing. Hours after India’s underwhelming two-wicket loss to Australia in the second ODI on Thursday (October 23), Ashwin dropped a cryptic post that raised eyebrows.

A blacked-out image with “Just Leave It” scrawled alongside a tricolour Nike tick. No caption, no context, just pure intrigue. Is this a subtle nudge for Virat Kohli to retire, or a pointed jab at head coach Gautam Gambhir? The fans on social media came up with different theories. Ashwin’s three-word mystery has transformed a tough defeat into a full-blown saga, leaving fans to decode the real target.

Ravichandran Ashwin's post

Virat Kohli's double duck

Virat Kohli, the chase master with 51 ODI centuries and 74 half-centuries has hit a rare skid. For the first time in his storied one-day career, the 36-year-old was out for a duck in back-to-back games. It started with Mitchell Starc's delivery in Perth's rain-shortened opener, his first naught on Australian soil. Then, in Adelaide, Xavier Bartlett's inswinging delivery trapped Kohlia as he was dismissed for LBW.

Compounding the drama was Kohli's wave to the Adelaide crowd as he departed, a seemingly polite goodbye that exploded online.

With retirements from T20Is in June 2024 and Tests in May 2025 already behind him, this ODI series feels like Kohli's last international session in Australia. The Sydney decider on Saturday could be his swan song.

Ashwin's post, arriving post-match, only amplified the retirement buzz. "Is that for Virat Kohli?" one user on X probed, attaching a photo of the star's glove-raise.

Gautam Gambhir under fire

Yet, the speculation doesn't stop at Kohli. Many point the arrow at Gautam Gambhir. Fans lambast his selections, echoing a chorus of asking Gambhir to give up his role. Gambhir's tenure has been dogged by whispers of toxicity: leaked reports pitting him against seniors like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, abrupt retirements, and a perceived shift to all-rounder-heavy lineups that prioritize depth over batting firepower.

Ashwin, no stranger to team dynamics after his own Test exit, seems to be wading into this fray. His post's Indian flag tick evokes national pride, but the "Just Leave It" twist screams frustration. Gambhir's defenders argue he is building for the future, not dismantling legacies, while Rohit Sharma's gritty 73 in Adelaide offered a glimmer. But with India's fielding lapses and batting collapses, the heat is on.

Social media storm