Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has officially retired from Test cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year journey in the longest format of the game. The 35-year-old shared the news on Instagram on Monday (May 12), saying goodbye to a format that shaped him both as a cricketer and a person.
Kohli played 123 Test matches for India, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. His career includes 30 Test centuries, many of them in challenging conditions. He also led India in 68 Tests, becoming the most successful Test captain in Indian history.
In his emotional retirement message, Kohli said, “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. This format tested me, shaped me, and taught me life lessons. There’s something very special about playing in whites — the quiet struggles and long days that stay with you forever.”
He added, “It’s not easy to walk away, but it feels right. I’ve given everything to Test cricket, and in return, it has given me more than I ever imagined. I leave with a heart full of gratitude.”
Kohli’s retirement follows recent Test exits by Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, marking a major shift in Indian cricket — similar to the 2012-2013 phase when Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virender Sehwag stepped away.
Kohli made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies in Jamaica. His early days were tough, but he proved himself in 2012 with a brilliant century (116) in Adelaide against Australia. That city later became one of his favourite hunting grounds, especially after scoring twin centuries there in 2014.
When MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014, Kohli took over as captain and brought a new, aggressive style of leadership. Under him, India achieved many big Test wins, including their first-ever series win in Australia in 2018-19.
Some of his most memorable innings include fighting knocks against top bowling attacks: a gritty 119 and 96 in South Africa in 2014, a powerful 235 against England in 2016, and a gutsy 104* against Sri Lanka in 2017. His standout performances in England in 2018, including a 149 at Edgbaston, helped him silence critics after a poor tour in 2014.
Kohli also broke records with double centuries — he scored seven in total, the most by any Indian. His last hundred in a pink-ball Test came against Bangladesh in 2019, and after a long wait, he scored another century against Australia in 2023.
His final Test match came in January 2025 at the Sydney Cricket Ground — a venue where he had many special moments as both player and captain.
With his retirement, an unforgettable chapter in Indian Test cricket comes to an end. Kohli will always be remembered as a passionate and fearless leader who gave everything for the team.
