Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, following in the footsteps of his former captain, Rohit Sharma, who made the same decision just days earlier. Kohli’s decision marks the end of an illustrious career in the longest format of the game.
Debuting in 2011, Kohli amassed 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches, including 30 centuries, at an impressive average of 46.85. Despite retiring from Tests, Kohli is expected to remain available for One-Day Internationals, and his sudden departure from Twenty20 Internationals last year after India’s World Cup victory in the West Indies added another chapter to his evolving career.
Reflecting on his journey in Test cricket, Kohli shared a heartfelt message on Instagram: “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,” he said. “It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.”
He continued, “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.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also paid tribute to Kohli’s contribution to Indian cricket, posting on X: “His contributions to #TeamIndia will forever be cherished!”
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗹𝗶! 🙌
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 12, 2025
An era ends in Test cricket but the legacy will continue FOREVER! 🫡🫡@imVkohli, the former Team India Captain retires from Test cricket.
His contributions to #TeamIndia will forever be cherished! 👏 👏 pic.twitter.com/MSe5KUtjep
Although Kohli’s final Test match came during a series loss to Australia in January 2023, which saw India surrender the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade, his tenure as captain between 2014 and 2022 remains his defining legacy. Kohli led India to 40 victories in 68 Tests, making him the country’s most successful Test captain. He is ranked fourth on the list of captains with the most Test wins, trailing behind Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh.
Under his leadership, India reached the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 but lost to New Zealand. Kohli was also part of the squad that fell to Australia in the 2023 World Test Championship final.
“I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way,” Kohli added. “I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”
India’s next Test challenge will come in a five-match series against England, starting June 20.
