NEW DELHI: India batting great Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, bringing the curtains down on a remarkable 14-year red-ball career during which he played 123 matches. Kohli amassed 9,230 runs in the format, registering 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries at an average of 46.85. He also captained India in 68 Tests, becoming the country’s most successful skipper in the format with 40 wins.“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right,” Kohli posted on Instagram.“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.”The 36-year-old’s decision comes shortly after Rohit Sharma also stepped away from the format, leaving India without two of its most experienced batters ahead of the upcoming Test tour of England.Reacting to the announcement, former India coach and cricketer Ravi Shastri penned a heartfelt message on social media.“Can’t believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for Test match cricket in every way you played and captained. Thank you for the lasting memories you’ve given to everyone, and to me in particular. It’s something I will cherish for life. Go well, champ. God bless@imVkohli @BCCI,” Shastri wrote.Kohli expressed his deep connection with the format and its unique rhythm, describing his affection for its nuances.
He said the traditions and ebbs and flows of the five-day format were special to him, including “the quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.”“I am 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,” he wrote. “I will always look back at my test career with a smile. #269, signing off.”
