Star Indian batter and former captain Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket.
Kohli, who made his debut in the format against the West Indies in 2011, made the announcement on social media on Monday, May 12.
This follows buzz around his retirement, just hours after another former captain and mainstay, Rohit Sharma’s, retirement a few days ago.
Kohli, who averages 46.85 from 123 matches, called his retirement with 9,230 runs in his Test kitty.
Hailed as one of the greats of the modern era, Kohli has scored 30 centuries to go along with his 31 half-centuries in the format.
He also captained India for several years with much success.
“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’s post read.
“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.
“#269, signing off,” it read.
Last year, just hours after India won the ICC T20 World Cup, Kohli and Sharma had announced their retirements from the shortest format of the game.
With his recent decision, King Kohli is set to represent the national side in the 50-overs format, also known as ODIs. Interestingly, Kohli is one of the leading run getters in the format, topping with 51 hundreds in a career spanning 302 matches, yielding 14181 runs.
He is also the only player in the world to win all the major ICC trophies — U19 World Cup (as captain) Champions Trophy (2X), ICC ODI Cricket World Cup and the ICC Mace (Given to number one team in Test rankings).
With the ODI World Cup set for 2027, it’ll be interesting to see how his career progresses from here on.
