Published: May 12, 2025, 03:30 PM
Virat Kohli, one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, just days before India was set to announce their squad for an upcoming tour of England. The 36-year-old, who has scored 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85, shared the news on Instagram, just five days after his teammate and captain, Rohit Sharma, also announced his decision to retire from Test cricket.
Kohli’s decision marks the end of an illustrious 14-year career in the format, which began in 2011. Over his Test career, Kohli has scored 30 centuries and 31 fifties, with his highest score being an unbeaten 254. Reflecting on his journey, he wrote, “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.” He added, “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.”
Kohli`s decision comes at a time when his form in Test cricket had dipped in recent years. After averaging nearly 55 during his peak years between 2011 and 2019, his average has fallen to 32.56 in the last 24 months. His last Test match was in January in Sydney, where India lost the series 3-1 to Australia. Kohli struggled throughout the series, managing only 90 runs in eight innings, aside from an unbeaten century in the first Test in Perth.
Kohli was not only a batting icon but also India`s most successful Test captain, leading the team to 40 wins and 17 losses in 68 matches before stepping down in 2022. His leadership record is the best in Indian cricket history, ahead of other legends like MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly.
He signed off his announcement with deep gratitude, saying, “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 was a part of the "Fab Four" — a quartet of batsmen that dominated Test cricket over the past decade, alongside Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, and England’s Joe Root. Nicknamed "King Kohli," he was India’s backbone in all formats of the game and ended his Twenty20 career on a high, contributing to his team’s World Cup final victory in Barbados last year before retiring from the format along with Rohit Sharma.
