With immediate effect, Virat Kohli has declared his retirement from Test cricket. In 123 games, he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 in the longest format of the game. This comes soon after Rohit Sharma confirmed his availability for ODIs and announced his retirement from Test cricket. Notably, following India's successful T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, both Virat and Rohit declared their retirement from the T20Is. In Test cricket, Kohli is fourth in terms of runs scored for India, only surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. On Kohli’s test cricket retirement announcement, Sachin Tendulkar said that Virat inspired innumerable young cricket players to take up the sport of cricket, and that is his genuine legacy. How amazing his Test career has been! He contributed far more than simply runs to Indian cricket.
Taking to Instagram, Sachin posted a photo of Virat and shared the gift he offered to Sachin when he was retiring from test cricket. He wrote, “As you retire from Tests, I’m reminded of your thoughtful gesture 12 years ago, during my last Test. You offered to gift me a thread from your late father. It was something too personal for me to accept, but the gesture was heartwarming and has stayed with me ever since. While I may not have a thread to offer in return, please know that you carry my deepest admiration and very best wishes. Your true legacy, Virat, lies in inspiring countless young cricketers to pick up the sport. What an incredible Test career you have had! You have given Indian cricket so much more than just runs – you have given it a new generation of passionate fans and players. Congratulations on a very special Test career.”
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Three years after making his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011, Kohli was appointed captain. Of the 68 Test matches he led, he lost just 17 (25%)—the fewest of any Indian. The hitter is India's most successful red-ball skipper with a victory rate of 58.82 percent, 40 wins, and 11 draws. On May 12, Virat Kohli declared his retirement from Test cricket. The board asked Kohli to change his mind about his plan to retire, despite rumours that he had sent an email to BCCI expressing his wish to do so. But Kohli eventually made his decision public on Monday, posting an emotional message on his Instagram account.
Kohli wrote, “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. There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. 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. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off. IN.”
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