By Soumya Ranjan 
Virat Kohli writes on his social media account, “As I step away from this format, it’s not easy – but it feels right.”
After a 14-year career that included 123 Test matches, 68 of which he played as captain, and 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket.
“I have worn the baggy blue in Test cricket for the first time in fourteen years. To be honest, I had no idea the path this format would lead me down. It has put me to the test, molded me, and taught me lifelong lessons,” Kohli wrote in a Monday morning social media statement. “Playing in whites carries a very personal meaning. The long days, the quiet grind, and the little moments that nobody notices but that stick with you forever.
It’s difficult for me to leave this format, but it feels right. It has returned far more than I could have imagined after I gave it everything I had. I’m leaving with a heart full of appreciation for the game, the teammates I played with, and everyone who helped me feel like I was seen. I’ll always smile when I think back on my Test career.
Prior to the crucial five-match series in England that began on June 20 and for which he was anticipated to be included in the squad, Kohli had informed the BCCI of his intention to retire from Test cricket, according to a report published on ESPNcricinfo on Saturday. At the time, it was discovered that Kohli had been discussing the issue with BCCI officials for the previous month or so.
It hadn’t been a very productive period for Kohli in the format lately. His first century in Test cricket since July 2023 (against the West Indies in Port of Spain) came in November 2024 when he scored 100 not out in the Perth Test. His average over the previous 24 months was 32.56, reaching its highest of 55.10 following his career-best 254 not out against South Africa in Pune in 2019.
Although Shubman Gill is the front-runner to succeed Rohit Sharma after the latter retired from Test cricket earlier this week, it is believed that the team management and selectors wanted his experience on the England tour, where India will be playing under a new captain.
Late last year, R Ashwin, in addition to Rohit, announced his retirement from international cricket. The only connections to that era of Indian Test cricket, when they advanced to two consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) finals, the first under Kohli’s leadership, are KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah. This is because Mohammed Shami’s form is under scrutiny following his return from a lengthy injury layoff, and Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav are currently out of the mix.
In the most recent BCCI contracts, Kohli and Rohit were placed in the highest category (A+), which is typically reserved for players who participate in all three international formats. After India won the World Cup last year, both Rohit and Kohli retired from Twenty20 Internationals and will only play ODI cricket from now on.
Roger Binny, the president of the BCCI, praised Kohli for his leadership and cricket skills.
In a statement, Binny said, “Virat Kohli’s name will be remembered alongside the finest to have graced Test cricket.” “His dedication to excellence in the most difficult format of the game, rather than just his desire for runs, was what made him stand out. Under his leadership, India began to compete internationally with aggression, conviction, and a refusal to accept second place. His influence on Indian cricket will last for many years to come, and he encouraged a generation to be proud of the whites.
During India’s tour of the West Indies in mid-2011, Kohli made his Test debut. Following a quiet start in Kingston, where he scored four and fifteen runs, he amassed 76 runs in five innings during that tour. Later that year, at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Kohli briefly displayed his skills against the West Indies, scoring fifty-two and sixty-three. India lost 4-0 on the ensuing, disastrous tour of Australia, but Kohli ended the series with a victory, recording his first Test century in the Adelaide Test.
In 2014–15, Kohli’s first significant Test series took place in Australia. He amassed 692 runs at an average of 86.50 for the series after scoring twin hundreds in Adelaide and then hundreds in Melbourne and Sydney. He was also captain of India’s Test team at that time. Kohli was promoted after MS Dhoni, the appointed captain, missed the first Test due to a thumb injury. After that match, Dhoni retired from the format completely. He returned for and captained the second Test in Brisbane and continued in that role for the third Test in Melbourne. After that, Kohli took control.
In the ensuing heyday, India won 40 of the 68 games that Kohli led and only lost 17. At the time of his retirement, Kohli was ranked fourth on the list of captains with the most Test victories, behind Graeme Smith (53 from 109), Ricky Ponting (48 from 77), and Steve Waugh (41 from 57). With 40 victories, he became India’s most successful Test captain ever, with Dhoni (27 from 60) and Sourav Ganguly (21 from 49) ranking below him.
Another highlight was the 2018 tour of England. In the five Test matches, he amassed 583 runs at an average of 59.30, including two hundreds, making him the leading scorer for both teams. The performance was made even more memorable by the fact that it followed a 2014 tour in which he had only managed 134 runs in 10 innings. In terms of total runs for a year, 2018 was also his best year, scoring 1322.
During his golden run, he averaged 75.93 in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, 55.08 in 2018, and 68.00 in 2019. During that period between 2016 and 2018, Kohli scored 3596 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 66.59, with 14 hundreds and eight fifties in 58 innings.