In a move that marks the end of a glorious era in Indian cricket, star batter Virat Kohli has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 36-year-old batting stalwart, who made his debut in 2011, leaves behind a legacy that redefined India’s approach to the longest format. Kohli’s decision to hang up his boots from the longest format of the game comes on the heels of Team India captain Rohit Sharma’s call to draw curtains on his Test career.
Notably, both Kohli and Rohit had already stepped away from T20Is after India’s World Cup victory in Barbados in 2024. Now, the veteran duo is only active in the ODIs.
Virat Kohli ended his illustrious Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches for India, with 30 centuries, 31 half-centuries and seven double-centuries. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in Test cricket for India and seven 200s is the most by an Indian in the longest format of the game.
Earlier, Virat Kohli had reportedly conveyed his intention to retire from Test cricket to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to media reports, the board was likely engaged in discussions with him in an effort to persuade him to reconsider. However with Kohli deciding to retire, along with Rohit Sharma, he too will miss India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England, set to begin on June 20.
