After 14 years playing Test matches, Virat Kohli is retiring from the national team as one of the immortals of Indian 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,” Kohli wrote on Monday in his Test retirement social media post.
“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,” he added.
Here is all to know about the retirement of India’s hugely impactful batter and captain:
Why is Virat Kohli retiring from Tests?
Kohli’s declining form in the five-day format of cricket may have prompted his decision to call it a day.
After averaging close to 55 at his peak between 2011 and 2019, he could muster a batting average of just 32.56 over the past 24 months.
Kohli’s last Test was in Sydney in January when India lost the match, and with it the series 3-1, to Australia.
Apart from an unbeaten century in the second innings of the first Test in Perth, Kohli managed just 90 runs from eight innings in the five-Test series.
Kohli has previously cited mental fatigue and injuries as other reasons to consider retirement.
“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,” Kohli said.
What does Virat #269 mean?
Kohli used #269 in his Instagram post while announcing his retirement on Monday.
The number denotes Kohli as the 269th player who represented India in Test cricket.
What will Kohli do next?
Kohli will continue to play for the Indian cricket team in One-Day International (ODI) matches, but with Test match commitments removed from his schedule, he will now have more time to pursue other interests outside of the game.
The 36-year-old has an expanding business empire in India. He is an active investor in large-scale fitness, hospitality and clothing companies such as Chisel fitness centre, Rage Coffee, sportswear brand One8, WROGN menswear brand and Blue Tribe, to name just a few.
He is also a global brand ambassador for multiple international companies, including Puma, Audi and Vivo.
Unlike many top cricketers, Kohli has not indicated that he will pursue a cricket commentary career, but he has repeatedly talked about giving back to the game in some form, with coaching a possible option in the future.
Once retired, will Kohli move to England?
In December 2024, it was widely reported that Kohli was planning to leave India and settle in London with his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, and their two children, daughter Vamika and son Akaay, according to his childhood cricket coach Rajkumar Yadav, who hinted at the impending move in an interview with Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran.
What is Kohli’s net worth?
It has been reported that Kohli’s net worth is about 96 million pounds ($126m) from salaries, businesses and endorsement deals.
What are Kohli’s key career Test match stats?
- Kohli leaves with seven double centuries, the most by an Indian player and the fourth most in Test history. Six of them came in an extraordinary 18-month, 33-innings spell from July 2016 to December 2017 – a period in which he was the number one batter in the format.
- The number of Test centuries made by Kohli – only 14 players have more. He also had 31 half-centuries.
- Kohli’s highest Test score was 254, made against South Africa in Pune, India, in October 2019. He finished the innings not out, and it was the last of his double centuries.
- He was captain in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them – the most for an Indian captain and fourth overall in Test cricket.
- The number of Test runs made by Kohli – 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 – ranks him fourth on the all-time list of India players behind fellow greats Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar.
- Kohli’s total of 692 runs in four Tests is the most by any Indian batsman in a Test series in Australia.
How popular is Kohli?
Married to a Bollywood star, Kohli has 272 million followers on Instagram and 67.8 million on X – making him one of the most followed sports stars on the planet.
His popularity has been a key factor behind cricket’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, the organisers acknowledged last year.
Reaction to Kohli’s retirement
Greg Chappell, former Australia captain:
“Kohli redefined expectations, challenged conventions, and symbolised the self-assured, unapologetic India of the 21st century,” Chappell said in a piece on ESPN CricInfo.
“His departure leaves not only a statistical void but a seismic shift in energy – for there has never been another quite like him.
“No Indian captain had ever marshalled a team to such commanding overseas dominance. And no batter since Tendulkar had so unequivocally ruled in every continent.”
Jasprit Bumrah, India bowler:
“From making my Test debut under your captaincy to reaching new heights together for our country, your passion and energy will be missed but the legacy you leave behind remains unmatched.”
Sanath Jayasuriya, former Sri Lanka captain:
“While the world celebrates your cricketing brilliance and records, what I admire most is your unwavering commitment to fitness and the sacrifices you’ve made behind the scenes.”
Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s opening batsman:
“The impact you’ve had on test cricket, and on cricket in India as a whole, is immeasurable. To have had the chance to share the pitch with you – someone I looked up to for so many years – was more than just a privilege; it was a moment I’ll carry with me forever.”
