“Virat Kohli may have felt ‘Unwanted’ in Team India’s new setup,” says former India cricketer on sudden Test retirement

Manoj Tiwary revealed Virat Kohli may have retired after feeling unwanted in Team India's new setup, despite preparing for the England tour.

It’s been more than three months since Virat Kohli shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from Test cricket. Yet, the star batter has remained tight-lipped about what prompted the sudden call. Until then, all signs suggested he was preparing for the England tour. He had even trained with the red ball during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 campaign. But just days before the BCCI selection committee met to pick the squad for the five-match Test series against England, Kohli walked away from the format he always considered closest to his heart.

The real reason behind Virat Kohli’s Test retirement remains known only to him, but former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has offered some insight into the emotional decision.

“No way. So he could have easily played for another three years minimum and four years. It was very surprising and shocking for all the cricket fans, including me as well, because all we knew was that he’s so physically fit and he was preparing himself for the England series,” Tiwary said on CricTracker.

Tiwary admitted he doesn’t know the exact reason for Virat’s decision, but suggested it may have stemmed from Kohli feeling “unwanted” in the team’s new setup.

“I don’t know what happened. What is the story behind the scenes? I think he was not feeling like he was wanted in Team India. Only he can say. I think he will not come out and ever say this thing in a public forum because the human he has become, he has evolved as a human being, I think he is very happy with what God has given to him. He is becoming spiritual as well. When someone becomes spiritual, they just leave all these things aside and focus on the present. They don’t want to talk about the past. He has evolved as a human being; I don’t think he will come forward and ever say what has happened behind the scenes,” he added.

“But as a cricket lover, things that are happening around Team India, the cricketers like us who know a little bit, we all know what’s happening behind the scenes. I think he did.”

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