After Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket, his long-time teammate Virat Kohli has also decided to bid farewell to the format. He has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he intends to retire from Test cricket. However, top officials have requested him to reconsider the decision.
According to a report by The Indian Express, former Indian captain Kohli has made a significant decision ahead of the England tour. Sources said, “He has made up his mind and informed the board that he is moving on from Test cricket. The BCCI has requested him to reconsider, as the crucial England tour is coming up. They have not yet received a response from him.”
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Kohli’s decision comes just days after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket. India’s selectors are expected to meet soon to pick the squad for next month’s five-Test series in England. It is understood that Kohli had been contemplating his Test future since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year, where he underperformed after scoring a century in the first Test.
If Kohli does not reverse his decision and with Rohit also out of the squad, India’s middle order will lack experience, with KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant expected to take charge. Moreover, the team will miss the leadership and guidance of two seasoned players. Kohli became India’s Test captain in December 2014, while Rohit took over in February 2022.
