Kohli has reportedly informed BCCI of his decision to retire from Test cricket before England tour.
According to media sources, Virat Kohli surprised the world of cricket on Saturday by telling the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he wanted to end his Test career.
India's five-match Test series against England is set to begin in Leeds on June 20. The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–2027 cycle begins with this series. After veteran opener Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, Team India is going through a transitional period.
But the decision's timing was mocked since, in addition to receiving a humiliating ruling, Kohli was also quietly accused of being scared of the England pace-bowling lineup.
The official County Championship account posted a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) amid speculation about Kohli's potential retirement from Test cricket.
A number of dismissals from recent County games were shown in the video, underscoring the difficult batting conditions and bowlers' supremacy in England.
The clip was accompanied by the caption, "We don't blame you Virat".
With 1,096 runs from 17 Test matches, including two hundreds and five half-centuries, Kohli has a respectable record in England. Although he had trouble in England during the 2014 series, he has since adjusted and is still one of India's best players abroad.
The 36-year-old is the third-highest run scorer in the country. With 30 hundreds and 31 fifties to his credit, he has amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 123 games. Notably, following India's successful 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, Kohli has already declared his retirement from T20 Internationals.