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Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket has left a significant void in Indian cricket—one that might take years to fill. Following closely on the heels of the departures of Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma from the longest format, Kohli's decision came as a major blow. Although speculation had been growing that the former captain was contemplating stepping away from Test cricket, the official announcement on May 12 via Instagram still took many by surprise. This was especially so considering that the BCCI and senior figures in Indian cricket reportedly made efforts to persuade him to continue, particularly with India's tour of England scheduled for June.
Virat Kohli
According to a report by Sports Today, Kohli was even subtly signaled that a return to Test captaincy could be on the cards during India's upcoming tour of Australia in December-January. The hint allegedly came after India's defeat in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide under Rohit Sharma's leadership.
"People close to him say he was led to believe he might get the captaincy back after Adelaide. But then the narrative changed," the report claimed.
Following the series loss, the team's management reportedly shifted its stance, choosing instead to consider grooming a younger captain for the future. The report noted that Kohli, still optimistic about regaining the leadership role, went on to play a Ranji Trophy game for Delhi in February, in accordance with BCCI guidelines. However, in April, he was informed that he would continue only as a player, which reportedly prompted his decision to retire from Tests.
Adding to the intrigue, former India cricketer and ex-national selector Sarandeep Singh, who also coaches Delhi, shared that there were no indications from Kohli about an imminent retirement.
“There were absolutely no signs. I was in touch with him recently, and nothing suggested he was considering retirement. He's in phenomenal form in the IPL,” said Singh.
“I even asked him whether he planned to play county cricket ahead of the England Tests, and he told me he wanted to play two India 'A' matches instead. Everything seemed set. Then suddenly, news breaks that he's stepping away from red-ball cricket. There's no issue with his fitness or form. He scored a hundred in Australia, but wasn't satisfied. During the Ranji Trophy, he told us he was eyeing three or four centuries in England.”
These developments suggest that there may be deeper and more complex reasons behind Kohli's unexpected Test retirement—reasons that may not be fully apparent to the public yet.
