Fourteen years on from his debut, Virat Kohli, now 36, reflects on a monumental Test journey spanning 123 matches and over 9,000 runs
Sports Desk
MUMBAI: Legendary India batter Virat Kohli has announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket. His decision comes ahead of this summer’s five-Test tour of England, which begins on 20 June, and follows captain Rohit Sharma’s retirement on Wednesday.
Kohli, 36, has played 123 Tests for India and scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket,” Kohli posted on social media. “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.”
Kohli retired from T20 internationals in 2024, after India’s World Cup victory, but is expected to continue playing one-day internationals. After making his Test debut against West Indies in 2011, Kohli went on to captain India in 68 Tests, with his 40 wins in charge making him the country’s most successful leader in the format.
“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,” he added. “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.” Kohli has long been regarded as one of the four batting greats of his era, alongside England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, and has scored 30 Test centuries. But his most recent Test ton – 100 not out in the first Test against Australia in November – was his first in 15 innings across 16 months. Only three centuries have come in 39 Tests since January 2020. He averages 30.72 in that period.
