Former England captain Nasser Hussain has floated a new theory while reasoning why India ace Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket. Kohli,36, made the decision on May 12 and announced the same on Instagram, bringing down curtains on his 14-year India career in whites.

Hussain stated that Kohli could have carried on for another two years at least and reflected deeply on the massive impact Kohli had on the game.

Not only Kohli, but Rohit Sharma also retired from Test cricket, a few days before Kohli on May 9. Their retirements from Test cricket leave a huge void in Indian team, just ahead of the five-match England Test tour.

With 9,230 runs from 123 games, Kohli finished his career as India's fourth-highest run scorer in Test cricket. He leaves a lasting impact as a captain and player. India had unheard-of success under his leadership, winning 40 of 68 Test matches and holding the top spot for an amazing 42 months.

"I have been a massive Virat Kohli fan over the last 14 years – his stats speak for themselves – but he was so much more than that. It was his aura, swagger, and passion. We know Indian cricket fans, and the game means so much to them. They want their captain to show them what it means to the team, and no one embodied that passion for cricket in India more than Kohli.

He was an unbelievable player. He took India to No. 1 in the world, and they stayed there for about 42 months. He completely changed the way they play cricket. Whoever takes on that mantle has got something to live up to,” Hussain said on Sky Sports podcast.   

Kohli scored 30 Test hundreds and was a teammate of cricketing heavyweights Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson, who were referred to as the "Fab 4." Among the four batters, Kohli was regarded as the best when he was at his best.

Hussain claimed that Kohli felt that being a "normal cricketer" was unacceptable, which may have contributed to his decision to retire, just 770 runs short of reaching 10,000 Test runs.

“He is the ultimate winner, he sees the end goal as a win, and he is desperate for that. Everything for Kohli is about winning. Why do you think he's so good in run chases? He can't go on the field and not be a hundred per cent, he can't ever go: 'I'll just do my best today.' That may have formed part of his retirement decision, he doesn't want to be a normal cricketer, just doing a little bit here and there. He made India into the force they are today,” Hussain noted.

Virat Kohli captained India in 68 Tests and won 40 of them.