In a major development that has left Indian cricket fans emotional, legendary batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing down the curtains on a stellar 14-year-long red-ball career. The 36-year-old ace batter, who played 123 Tests, scored over 8,000 runs, and led India to historic overseas victories, will no longer don the whites, leaving behind an indelible legacy.
Kohli’s Test career was marked by dominance in all conditions and across continents. Particularly from 2016 to 2019, he enjoyed a golden phase, scoring 4,208 runs in 43 Tests at a staggering average of 66.79, including 16 centuries. The year 2018 stood out as his most iconic period, often regarded as one of the toughest eras for Test batters globally, with the overall batting average that year falling to 26.28—the lowest since 1957.
Yet, Kohli shone like a beacon amid challenging conditions. In 2018, he scored 1,322 runs in 13 matches at an average of 55.08, smashing five centuries and five fifties. What set him apart was not just the volume of runs but where he scored them—against world-class bowling attacks in South Africa, England, Australia, and at home in India.
Starting the year with a remarkable 153-run knock at Centurion, Kohli stood tall against a fierce South African attack comprising Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, and Vernon Philander. Although India lost the series 2-1, the fight and grit displayed by Kohli’s team, especially on a treacherous Johannesburg pitch, earned widespread praise.
Kohli’s tour of England in mid-2018 is now considered one of the greatest comebacks in Test history. After a forgettable 2014 outing, Kohli returned with a vengeance, scoring 593 runs in five Tests at an average of 59.30, including two centuries and three fifties. He silenced critics and proved his mettle against James Anderson and Stuart Broad, redeeming himself with a performance that reaffirmed his status as a world-class Test batter.
Later that year, Kohli returned home to face the West Indies, scoring a majestic 139 at Saurashtra, and ending the series with 184 runs at an average of 92.00. He then capped off 2018 with a challenging tour of Australia. Facing the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, Kohli managed 259 runs in six innings, including a memorable 123 at Perth.
As a captain, Kohli led India in all 13 Tests in 2018, winning six and losing seven. His away record included four victories, including two in Australia, one in South Africa, and one in England. These performances laid the groundwork for India’s historic Test series win in Australia—the first ever by an Asian team on Australian soil.
Beyond the numbers, Kohli’s energy, aggression, and commitment to fitness revolutionized Indian cricket. He inspired a generation of players to value Test cricket and brought intensity back to the longest format.
On Tuesday, a day after announcing his retirement, Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were seen in Vrindavan at the Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram, where they held a spiritual conversation with Premanand Ji Maharaj. Upon their return to Mumbai, an emotional fan at the airport told Kohli, “Why did you retire sir? Only because of you I watched Test cricket. Now I will not watch cricket.” Kohli responded humbly, “Jaane dijiye sir” (Please let us go).
Virat Kohli’s departure from Test cricket marks the end of an era. His passion, discipline, and ability to dominate the world’s best bowlers will forever remain etched in cricketing history. Fans across the globe are now reflecting on his journey, with gratitude for the countless unforgettable moments he provided in the whites.
