Virat Kohli has announced that he will be retiring from the test cricket format for India.
After 14 years and playing 123 matches of playing red ball cricket, arguably one of the greatest cricketers of all time has decided to step away from the format, scoring 9,230 runs for India, with an average of 68 runs as captain.
The BCCI had reportedly tried to convince Kohli to continue playing days prior, but the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain has made his decision.
In a statement on his Instagram account, Virat says: “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 said in a social media statement on Monday morning. “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.”
Kohli is the latest cricketer to retire from red ball cricket, with Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin becoming the latest to also say goodbye to the format.
The BCCI president, Roger Binny, had his say on the announcement, hailing Kohli for his qualities as a cricketer and leader.
“Virat Kohli’s name will be remembered alongside the finest ever to have graced Test cricket,” Binny said in a statement. “What set him apart was not just his hunger for runs, but his commitment to excellence in the toughest format of the game. His leadership marked a shift in how India competed overseas — with aggression, belief, and a refusal to settle for second best. He inspired a generation to take pride in the whites, and his impact on Indian cricket will be felt for decades to come.”
Virat Kohli, as captain, played 68 matches for India, winning 40 of those games, 17 of them loses and 11 draws. It’s being reported that Shubhman Gill is the leading candidate to being the next captain for India.
