BENGALURU :India batting great Virat Kohli announced his retirement from test cricket on Monday, bringing down the curtain on a glorious career in the longest format that leaves a huge void in the team just days after captain Rohit Sharma ended his red ball career.
Kohli, who made his debut in 2011 and scored 30 centuries and 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 over 123 tests, is likely to remain available for one-day international selection after helping India win their third Champions Trophy this year.
The 36-year-old quit Twenty20 Internationals immediately after India won their second World Cup in West Indies last year but will continue to represent Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Prmeier League.
Local media churned at the weekend with speculation Kohli was set to quit red ball cricket and he confirmed the news on social media early on Monday.
“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,” Kohli wrote.
“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.”
While Kohli’s final test wrapped up a 3-1 series loss to Australia in January that saw his team relinquish the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade, he will be remembered most for his spell as captain between 2014-2022.
Kohli won 40 of his 68 tests in charge of India to become the country’s most successful skipper in the format and sits fourth in the list of captains with the most test victories.
Only Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48) and Steve Waugh (41) won more tests as captains.
FEARLESS ATTITUDE
India suffered only 17 defeats with Kohli at the helm as he instilled a fearless attitude in the team and he guided them to the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, where they lost to New Zealand.
He was also part of the team that lost the second World Test Championship final to Australia in 2023.
“Thank you, Virat Kohli! An era ends in test cricket but the legacy will continue FOREVER,” India’s cricket board wrote on social media.
“The former Team India Captain retires from test cricket. His contributions to #TeamIndia will forever be cherished.”
Kohli leaves as the fourth-highest scorer for India in tests behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Rahul Dravid (13,265) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122) and is behind the same trio in the list of test centuries.
He also scored seven test double hundreds, the most by an Indian batsman, and sits behind only Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara and Don Bradman in the overall list.
“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.
“I’ll always look back at my test career with a smile.”
India’s next test assignment is a five-match series in England from June 20 and commentator Harsha Bhogle said he would have liked to see Kohli go out at a packed stadium.
“But since that is not to be let us applaud him wherever we are,” Bhogle added.
“He told a generation weaned on T20 cricket that test cricket is cool and aspirational. And for that, the game owes him big time.”
