Taking to his Social Media account Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test Cricket on May 12. He stated that, “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.
There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.
As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.
I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way.
I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.
#269, signing off.”
He retired from test match ahead of the upcoming India Vs England Test series. His decision marks the end of the era.
On 7th May, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the Test Cricket.
Virat Kohli Test Cricket Debut
Virat Kohli has retires from Test Cricket having scored 9230 runs from his test debut of 123 matches, with 30 test centuries and 31 fifties.
He made his Test debut under MS Dhoni’s captaincy in the first match of a three-Test series against the West Indies in 2011. At just 23 years old, Kohli walked in to bat with the score at 64/3. In the second innings, Kohli managed to score 15 runs, but dismissed in the same manner by the same bowler.
Despite his modest performance, India won the match by 63 runs and eventually clinched the series 1-0.
Kohli went on to become one of India’s most successful Test captains, leading the team in 68 matches and securing 40 wins—the most by any Indian Men’s Test captain.
In global rankings, he finishes as the fourth-most successful Test captain in terms of victories, trailing only Graeme Smith (53 wins), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41).
With the bat, Kohli amassed 30 Test centuries, making him the fourth-highest Indian century-maker in Tests, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34).
He also holds the record for the most double centuries (7) by an Indian in Tests and the most centuries as an Indian Test captain (20)—well ahead of Gavaskar’s 11.
Kohli had already retired from T20 Internationals last year after India’s T20 World Cup win.
