Published: May 12, 2025, 07:50 PM (IST)
Edited: May 12, 2025, 07:50 PM (IST)
After an incredible career in the longest format of the game, Virat Kohli announced retirement from Test cricket on May 12. He appeared in the red-ball match for the last time during the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Ahead of India’s tour of England, set to begin next month, Virat Kohli has decided to call his time in the red-ball game. He had previously communicated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and shared his idea of leaving Test cricket.
Reacting to Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket Indian star batter Shubman Gill shared a heartfelt note for the most successful Test captain. Gill expressed his journey from watch Kohli play when he was 13 years old, and how he eventually shared he field with him. Shubman labelled the batting maestro as an inspiration for himself and millions of others.
Anything I write for you, paji, will never truly capture what I feel or the impact you’ve had on me.
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) May 12, 2025
From watching you bat when I was 13 and wondering how someone could bring that kind of energy to the field – to sharing the field with you and realizing no one else possibly can… pic.twitter.com/s6LhnPWbNK
“Anything I write for you, paji, will never truly capture what I feel or the impact you’ve had on me. From watching you bat when I was 13 and wondering how someone could bring that kind of energy to the field – to sharing the field with you and realizing no one else possibly can – you’ve not just inspired a generation, you’ve reshaped the mindset of millions,” Shubman Gill captioned his post for Virat Kohli.
“I know how much Test cricket meant to you, and I hope our generation can carry forward that same fire and commitment. Thank you for everything. Happy retirement, @imVkohli paji,” he added.
There was once a time when Virat Kohli used to perform magnificently with the bat. Kohli used to be known as the ‘Real King’ in Test format. He played a total of 84 matches and scored 7202 runs during this time. He has played at an average of 54.97 and also scored 27 centuries. Even though Virat Kohli was once the king of the red-ball format, his performance declined since 2020. He played 39 Test matches since 2020, and his average fell down to 30.72. He also only scored three centuries.
Throughout his career, Virat Kohli played 123 Test matches for India, and scored 9230 runs. His average is of 46.83, and his performance has seen a steep fall in the past few years. Kohli has managed to score only 1990 runs in 37 matches that he player in the last 5 years.
