Indian batting star and former captain Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12, with an emotional post on his social media platform, including on X. Fans are guessing why the star batter has posted such a message during his retirement announcement. However, reports also suggest that he was asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider his decision to part from the Test format. But, Kohli does what he wants; he decided to announce his decision just ahead of the test series against England in June 2025. In the post, he wrote a guessing message saying "#269, signing off" since this has left netizens to do the guessing work.
The number 269 referred to Virat's cap number as he was player number 269 playing for the nation. Kohli also stated that it wasn't easy for him to announce this. He appeared in 123 Tests for India, scoring 9230 runs with 30 hundreds at an average of 46.85.
"I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way," Kohli announced on his Instagram page, putting an end to incessant speculation about his future in the format that peaked after the tour of Australia earlier this year.
Kohli debuted in the test format in 2011, leading the team to the world number one position in the Test cricket format. He made history by winning a series in Australia in 2018-19. He will now play only one-day cricket (ODIs), having already retired from T20 Internationals last year after playing a significant role in India's T20 World Cup win in the Caribbean.
Also Read | Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma visit spiritual guru Premanand Maharaj in Vrindavan.
"It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life," Kohli added.
Kohli's test assignment was a largely underwhelming tour of Australia, during which he managed just one hundred runs. He ended his career well short of the 10,000-run mark, which was, at one stage, considered a formality.
Meanwhile, in the latest update, Virat Kohli and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, visited Vrindavan today, where they met Sant Premanand Govind Sharan and received his blessings.