Virat Kohli has officially retired from Test cricket, concluding a remarkable 14-year career that saw him play 123 matches – 68 of them as captain. He amassed 9,230 runs at an impressive average of 46.85.
“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,” he wrote on social media.
Kohli represented India in 123 Test matches, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. His impressive tally includes 30 centuries, 31 half-centuries, and a career-best score of 254. Whether at home or abroad, Kohli consistently delivered with the bat, letting his performances speak for themselves. Still, he may leave with one lingering regret—falling short of the coveted 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket.
Kohli’s retirement from the longest format marks another major departure in Indian cricket’s transition phase. Ravichandran Ashwin stepped away in December, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement last week, and now Kohli becomes the third senior figure to step down. Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl around the Test future of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami.
