Virat Kohli is considered one of the greatest cricketers in the world. However, this legendary cricketer unexpectedly bid farewell to Test cricket on Monday. His sudden retirement announcement has left everyone stunned. For 14 long years, Virat had played Test cricket for India. The Indian team was also about to be announced soon for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. But before that, Virat announced his retirement.
While Virat’s decision shocked most people, those close to him revealed that he had made up his mind some time ago. The upcoming series against England would mark the beginning of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle. Virat knew that both he and the Indian team would need to make changes to reach the WTC final. India’s recent Test performances were far from impressive. So, Virat had been contemplating taking on a new challenge for a while.
According to reports, Kohli wanted to pursue new challenges. As the Indian team is in a transition period, Virat, as a senior player, wanted to take on a leadership role. However, the BCCI had other plans. A report published by Cricbuzz stated that while Kohli expressed interest in leading the team, management informed him that they preferred to give leadership responsibilities to a younger player.
Kohli wanted to take on this challenge to regain his lost form and identity in Test cricket. But he was not given that freedom. The current team management failed to provide the environment and independence Virat desired. He felt the dressing room environment had changed completely from earlier times. This is believed to be a key reason behind his decision to leave Test cricket.
For the past three years, Virat hadn’t played any remarkable innings in Test cricket. During this period, he had an average of just 32. At the age of 36, Kohli wanted to take on a new challenge in the upcoming World Test Championship cycle. He wanted to prove himself again. But instead of being given that opportunity, management restricted his autonomy. Under such circumstances, continuing in the white jersey was no longer possible for Virat.
The report also claimed that before making his final decision, Virat had discussions with former India head coach Ravi Shastri and ex-BCCI secretary Jay Shah. However, it is unclear how much those conversations helped resolve his concerns.
Most importantly, a meeting was supposed to happen between BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla and Virat Kohli. But due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, there was no time for this meeting to take place.
Before retiring, Virat also had two conversations with BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar. However, even after these discussions, Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket remained unchanged.
