In a move that left fans stunned and timelines flooded, Virat Kohli, the former India captain and modern-day batting maestro, has announced his retirement from Test cricket – just weeks before India’s tour of England. The King has officially stepped off the red-ball throne.
At 36, Kohli’s decision comes not long after fellow mate Rohit Sharma bowed out of the format, making it feel like the end of an era came with back-to-back curtain calls. The news, delivered via a heartfelt social media post and confirmed to the BCCI earlier, landed like a bouncer no one saw coming – early Saturday morning, when most fans were still dreaming of cover drives and Kohli fist pumps.
While he hasn’t yet crossed the elusive 10,000-run mark in Tests, Kohli signs off with a legendary 9,230 runs in 113 Tests, averaging 46.8, and sitting comfortably as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer – behind the icons Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. Not bad for a Delhi kid who started as a fiery youngster and went on to define an era.
Kohli wasn’t just a run machine – he was the face of Indian Test cricket’s revival overseas, a captain who brought aggression, intensity, and sharp suits to pressers. From Adelaide to Lord’s, Johannesburg to Chennai, his passion never dipped – even when the pitch did.
He might be done with whites, but something tells us the memories he’s given Indian cricket fans will age as gracefully as his on-point beard game. Virat Kohli, didn’t just play the game – he changed it!
(Contributed by Wajeeha Syed)