New Delhi: In a significant development for Indian cricket, Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, concluding a remarkable 14-year career in the format. The former Indian captain made the announcement via an emotional Instagram post, expressing his pride in representing India for over a decade.
Kohli, reflecting on his career, stated that playing for India in Test cricket has been a source of immense pride and that he will always look back at his journey with a smile. His decision comes shortly after Indian captain Rohit Sharma also revealed his retirement from Test cricket. Both players had previously stepped down from T20 international duties following India’s World Cup win in Barbados last year.
During his Test career, Kohli played 123 matches, amassing 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries. His home record is particularly impressive, with 4,336 runs from 55 matches at an average of 55.58. In contrast, his performances abroad saw him score 4,774 runs from 66 matches at an average of 41.51.
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Kohli served as the captain of the Indian Test team from 2014 to 2022, leading India to 40 victories in 68 matches, with a success rate of 58%. His leadership was pivotal in India’s historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in 2018-19. Kohli now joins the ranks of cricketing legends, with only Steve Waugh (41), Ricky Ponting (48), and Graeme Smith (53) having more Test wins as captains.
Kohli’s final Test match came during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in November-January. Experts believe that his decision to retire from Test cricket may be influenced by his recent form, where he scored only 382 runs in 10 matches in the previous year, averaging just 22.47.