Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a 14-year career that included 123 matches, 68 of which he captained. He amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 fifties and 31 centuries, with a highest score of 254 not out.
As captain, he led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, notably securing the country’s first-ever Test series victory in Australia during the 2018-19 tour.
Kohli informed the BCCI of his decision on Saturday, just ahead of the crucial five-match Test series in England starting June 20, for which he was expected to be named in the squad.
In an Instagram post on Monday (May 12), Kohli wrote, "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.
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."
Only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar have scored more runs in Test cricket than Kohli, who ends his career as India's fourth leader. Two months after being a member of India's 2011 ODI World Cup-winning team, he made his Test debut against the West Indies in Jamaica.
Kohli reportedly informed the BCCI on Saturday that he planned to retire from Tests. Despite being pushed to change his mind by a senior BCCI official, Kohli ultimately stuck to his guns.
Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket on May 7; Kohli's retirement comes shortly after. Both veterans' performances in the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy were challenging.
He made his final appearance in the format in January at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the New Year's Test match against Australia.
Multiple foreign cricketers took to social media to pay tribute to Virat Kohli as a legend of the game, bidding goodbye to Test cricket.
Here are the posts:
