NEW DELHI: Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, drawing the curtains on a stellar red-ball career that spanned 123 matches, yielded 9,230 runs, and featured 30 centuries and 31 fifties.
The announcement came via social media, just a week after his teammate and current captain Rohit Sharma also stepped away from the format. In an emotional message, Kohli looked back on a journey that began in 2011 against the West Indies and evolved into one of the most iconic Test careers of the modern era.
“There is something deeply personal about playing in whites… I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more,” Kohli wrote, concluding with #269, his Test cap number.
Kohli’s ascent in Test cricket gained momentum during the 2011–12 tour of Australia, where he braved tough conditions to score his maiden century in Adelaide. He would go on to establish himself as a dominant batter and a trailblazing leader.
As captain, Kohli led India to 40 victories in 68 Tests — the most by any Indian skipper. Only Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have recorded more wins as Test captain.
His milestones in Test cricket are equally remarkable:
30 centuries – 4th-most among Indians, behind Tendulkar (51), Dravid (36), and Gavaskar (34)
7 double hundreds – the most by any Indian in Tests
20 centuries as captain – an Indian record, well ahead of Gavaskar’s 11
Kohli’s retirement signals the end of an era marked by fierce determination, unwavering passion, and an uncompromising drive for excellence. Though he will continue to play in limited-overs formats, his absence from Test cricket leaves a significant void on the sport’s most revered stage.
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