India great Virat Kohli retires from test cricket

Virat Kohli. Photo / Photosport.

Legendary India batter Virat Kohli has announced his immediate retirement from test cricket.

The 36-year-old made the announcement on his Instagram page, and his decision comes days after Rohit Sharma, who succeeded Kohli as skipper, also retired from the red-ball format and a month before India start a five-match test series in England.

Kohli made his test debut in 2011 and hit 30 hundreds and 31 fifties, with a highest score of 254 not out.

He played 123 tests for India and scored 9,230 runs at an 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,” Kohli said on Instagram.

“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.

“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’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.

“I’ll always look back at my test career with a smile.”

Kohli was India’s most successful test captains with 40 wins and 17 defeats in 68 matches before stepping down from the role in 2022.

Kohli has long been regarded as one of the four batting greats of his era, alongside England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.

Kohli retired from T20 internationals in 2024, after India’s World Cup victory, but is expected to continue playing one-day internationals.