Virat Kohli Test Retirement: “It’s not easy — but it feels right… #269, signing off”
In a surprising development, Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket on Monday, just ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England scheduled for June.
Taking to Instagram, Kohli shared an emotional note reflecting on his 14-year journey in the red-ball format.
“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,” he wrote.
He concluded the heartfelt post with a simple but powerful line:
“#269, signing off.”
A Prolific Test Career Spanning Over a Decade
Kohli, now 36, retires as one of India’s most celebrated Test batters, having represented the country in 123 matches since his debut on June 20, 2011, against the West Indies in Kingston. Over the course of his career, he scored 9230 runs in 210 innings at an impressive average of 46.85, placing him fourth among India’s all-time top Test scorers—behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Dominance in the 2010s, Decline Post-COVID
Between 2010 and 2019, Kohli emerged as India’s standout performer in the longest format. He accumulated 7202 runs at an average of 54.97, including 27 centuries—the highest for any batter during that period.
However, his form dipped notably after the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2020 onwards, he managed just 2028 runs in 68 innings, with only 3 centuries and 9 fifties, averaging 30.72—the lowest among batters with 2000+ runs in that time frame.
India’s Most Successful Test Captain
Kohli took over the Test captaincy from MS Dhoni in 2014 and went on to lead the team for eight years. Under his leadership, India won 40 out of 68 Tests, making him the most successful Indian Test captain in history. Globally, only Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have secured more Test wins as captains.
Not just as a leader but also as a batter, Kohli thrived during his captaincy. He scored 5864 runs in 113 innings as skipper, the fourth-highest tally for a Test captain. With 20 centuries, he is second only to South Africa’s Graeme Smith (25) in terms of hundreds as a captain.
A Mixed Farewell Tour in Australia
Kohli started the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy on a high with a century in Perth, but the rest of the series was a struggle. He ended with just 193 runs, frequently falling to deliveries outside off stump. Out of his eight dismissals, seven came in similar fashion—caught behind the stumps.
On Mental Pressures and Acceptance
In a recent public event, Kohli opened up about the mental toll of his poor form:
“Once you start taking on the energy and the disappointment from the outside, then you start burdening yourself way more… Then you start thinking, ‘I’ve got two or three days left on this tour, I need to make an impact now’. That desperation builds up.”
He added,
“I got a good score in the first Test and thought, ‘This is going to be a big series for me.’ But it didn’t turn out that way. The key is to be honest with yourself — ask where your energy is, what direction you want to go in.”
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