Virat Kohli retirement: BCCI didn't urge Kohli to stay in team; instead told he doesn't fit in - Report
In contrast to the earlier reports, instead of urging Kohli to stay for India’s five-Test series against England, the BCCI reportedly told the 36-year-old that he was no longer needed in the Test team
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12. This news comes after a recent update about The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) bold stance on Kohli's inclusion in the squad. The 36-year-old's retirement will be a major turning point as Team India's new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is on the cards.
In contrast to the earlier reports, instead of urging Kohli to stay for India’s five-Test series against England starting June 20, 2025, the BCCI reportedly told the 36-year-old that he was no longer needed in the Test team, according to The Dainik Jagran.
BCCI’s clear message
“The BCCI does not request anyone. A player’s decision is his personal choice. We don’t interfere in it,” a source told Dainik Jagran. According to the report, Kohli was told he doesn’t fit in the Test team anymore, and the same message was given to former captain Rohit Sharma in a May 7 meeting in Mumbai.
Virat Kohli's retirement
Virat Kohli took to Instagram to announce his Test retirement. He wrote a heartfelt post and ended it by saying, “#269 signing off”
"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," he wrote.
Kohli further expressed that he had given the format everything, "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."
"I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile," he concluded.
Struggles with the Bat
Kohli has had a tough time in recent Tests. In the 2024-25 series against Australia, he scored 190 runs in five Tests, with an average of 23. His 30th Test century in Perth, where he made 100 runs, was a highlight, but the rest of the series was disappointing. Things were even worse in the home series against New Zealand, where he scored only 93 runs in six innings, averaging 15.50.
Virat Kohli's stats in Tests
Virat Kohli has played 210 Test innings and has scored 9230 in his Test career. The 36-year-old has smashed 30 centuries and 31 fifties in the format. He has registered the highest score 254* and an average of 46. 85.