Virat Kohli has officially retired from Test cricket, just over a month before India’s upcoming tour of England. The 36-year-old made this decision shortly after Rohit Sharma also stepped away from the format. According to reports, Kohli informed the BCCI of his retirement early Saturday morning, which immediately shocked Indian cricket fans.
Although Kohli hasn’t reached the 10,000-run milestone in Tests, and is younger than many legends who played longer, he believed this was the right moment to step down. He ends his Test career with 9230 runs in 113 matches, averaging 46.8. He finishes as India’s fourth-highest Test run-scorer, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Rahul Dravid (13,265), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122).
Kohli Reflects on His Test Journey
While announcing his decision on social media, Kohli said that “it’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket” and added that he “never imagined the journey this format would take me on.” He mentioned how the format had tested him and shaped him over the years.
Kohli also said, “as I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right.” He expressed deep gratitude for everything Test cricket gave him and the people who supported him throughout.
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Big Changes Ahead for Team India
Kohli’s exit means his final Test was against Australia in Sydney. Now that Rohit, Ashwin, Rahane, and Pujara are also out of the picture, India faces the England tour with less experience. As a result, Ravindra Jadeja is likely to be the most capped player when the squad is picked next week.
With Test and T20I retirements behind him, Kohli will now focus only on ODIs. His top goal remains the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, where he hopes to lead from the front.
Kohli’s Test Career Had Many Highs
Kohli’s 14-year journey in Test cricket was full of memorable moments. He captained India in 68 matches, winning 40 of them — the most by any Indian Test captain. One of his greatest achievements came during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where India defeated Australia 2-1 on their home turf — a historic first.
Moreover, under Kohli’s leadership, India held the No.1 Test team position for five straight years. He strongly supported the red-ball format and, along with coach Ravi Shastri, built a powerful pace attack that consistently took all 20 wickets — a key factor in India’s overseas success.
From Aggression to Greatness
Kohli began as a fiery youngster, famously flipping off the Sydney crowd, but soon grew into a composed leader. He scored his first Test century in Adelaide and never looked back. In 2013, he hit his first overseas hundred in Johannesburg, which marked his rise as a top-class batter.
However, in 2014, he faced a major challenge in England. James Anderson repeatedly got him out outside the off-stump, and Kohli ended the series with just 134 runs in five Tests. Yet, as many fans recall, that setback became the calm before a fierce comeback.
Dominating Australia
Kohli’s form exploded in 2014-15 when he returned to Australia. He scored 692 runs in four Tests at an average of 86.40, including four centuries. His two tons in Adelaide became iconic, and this series began a long, successful run against the Aussies. By the end of his career, he had 3320 runs and nine centuries against them — more than against any other team.
Unstoppable Between 2015 and 2019
Between 2015 and 2019, Kohli played at his peak. In 2016, he dominated with 1215 runs at an average of 75.93, scoring four centuries, including a career-best 235 against England. That year, fans saw him break record after record.
Two years later, Kohli returned to England. This time, he had answers for Anderson. He scored 593 runs at an average of 59.30, with two centuries and three fifties. India lost the series 1-3, but Kohli silenced his critics. In fact, many called that performance legendary. That same year, he won the ICC Test Player of the Year award.
The Downturn Begins
Kohli continued to perform until late 2019, when he hit a century in India’s first-ever day-night Test against Bangladesh. But after that, his form dipped sharply. For the next three and a half years, he didn’t score a single Test century. During this time, he stepped down as India’s captain across all formats following a Test series loss to South Africa in 2022.
He finally ended his century drought against Australia. However, his fluency seemed to fade. His Test average, once 55.10 in 2019, dropped to under 47. Even so, Kohli showed glimpses of his best. His 76 against South Africa, under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, helped India draw that series 1-1 — a knock many fans consider one of his most mature.