Virat Kohli Announces Retirement from Test Cricket: 'Not Easy, But Feels Right'

By siliconindia  |  Monday, 12 May 2025, 12:36:37 PM IST

Virat Kohli Announces Retirement from Test Cricket: 'Not Easy, But Feels Right'
  • Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket after 14 years, leaving a lasting legacy.
  • Kohli expresses gratitude for the lessons and experiences Test cricket provided.
  • India faces a depleted middle order for the upcoming England Test series.
In a significant development for Indian cricket, batting stalwart Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing the curtains down on a glorious 14-year career in the longest format of the game. The 36-year-old made the announcement via an emotional Instagram post on Monday, days after reports surfaced about his communication with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding his decision.
“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 wrote in his post. “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”.
The former India captain acknowledged that stepping away from the red-ball format wasn’t an easy call, but one that he felt was right at this stage of his career. “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,” he added, signing off with a heartfelt note: '#269 signing off'.
Kohli’s retirement marks the end of an era, as it follows closely on the heels of Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket. The two modern-day greats had earlier announced their retirement from T20 Internationals after winning the ICC T20 World Cup last year. They will now be available only for One Day Internationals and are expected to be part of the Indian squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
The news also presents a fresh challenge for Team India, as they prepare for a five-match Test series in England next month with a depleted middle order. Kohli’s absence will undoubtedly leave a significant void in the lineup, given his experience and record.
Kohli made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies and went on to represent India in 123 Tests. He scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.9, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. He remains India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests, behind legends Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Beyond his batting exploits, Kohli will be remembered as India’s most successful Test captain. Taking over the reins in 2014, he led India in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them the most by any Indian captain. His tenure included historic achievements such as India’s maiden Test series win in Australia in 2018–19 and a drawn series in England in 2021–22. Under his leadership, India remained unbeaten at home in Tests.
Kohli’s last appearance in Test cricket came earlier this year during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. India lost the match by six wickets, with Australia clinching the series 3–1. In what turned out to be his final series, Kohli managed just 190 runs in nine innings with a solitary century — a dip in form that perhaps influenced his decision.
Reflecting on recent struggles, Kohli had said at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Summit, “If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I felt, for me, the most recent Australia tour would be the one that’s most fresh. So it might feel the most intense to me”.
The BCCI, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), thanked Kohli for his outstanding contributions to Indian cricket. As fans and cricketing peers pay tribute to the iconic batter, Kohli’s legacy in Test cricket remains etched in the annals of Indian sporting history. 
 

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