![Perth [Australia], Nov 24 (ANI): India's Virat Kohli celebrates his century during Day 3 of the first Test match against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, at Perth Stadium, in Perth on Sunday. (ANI Photo)](https://i0.wp.com/www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Virat-Kohli-Image-Source-ANI.jpg?resize=1068%2C580&ssl=1 "Perth [Australia], Nov 24 (ANI): India's Virat Kohli celebrates his century during Day 3 of the first Test match against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, at Perth Stadium, in Perth on Sunday. (ANI Photo)")
In a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday, former India captain Virat Kohli announced his decision to retire from Test cricket, drawing the curtain on a remarkable 14-year journey in the sport’s most demanding format.
“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket,” Kohli wrote.
“The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever…
I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.”
Kohli’s Test résumé speaks volumes. In 123 matches, he amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries—a tally that places him fourth on India’s all-time list behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar. His career-best 254* and seven double hundreds as captain underscore the consistency and appetite for big scores that defined his prime.
A journey of peaks and valleys
Kohli debuted against the West Indies in June 2011, struggling for just 76 runs in his first five innings. Yet it wasn’t long before his talent shone through: a first Test century (116 at Adelaide in 2012) announced his arrival during a tough tour when even India’s legends found runs hard to come by.
Between 2016 and 2019, Kohli enjoyed one of the richest runs by a Test batter in history, compiling 4,208 runs at 66.79, with 16 centuries in 43 matches. He became the first captain to smash seven double hundreds—and consistently led by example through rough tours and redemption arcs.
However, the turn of the decade saw Kohli’s form dip. From 2020 onwards, he managed just 2,028 runs in 39 Tests at 30.72, punctuated by only three hundreds. A bright patch in 2023—a tally of 671 runs at 55.91—offered hope, but his 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia yielded just one fifty from nine innings.
Highs in hostile conditions
Kohli’s career is studded with heroics in challenging conditions: 692 runs and four centuries against a Mitchell Johnson-fired Australian attack in 2014–15; a triumphant 593 runs in the 2018 England tour—rebounds from his forgettable 2014 tour; and match-winning knocks from Centurion to Edgbaston under pressure.
Looking ahead
While Kohli steps away from Test whites, he remains available for limited-overs cricket. His departure leaves a void in the red-ball side—particularly in leadership and run-scoring prowess—just as India readies for a new ICC World Test Championship cycle.
“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 concluded.
“I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269 signing off.”
As Indian cricket salutes one of its modern greats, fans around the world will cherish the small, unseen moments—off-season preparation, early morning nets, inspiration behind the scenes—that shaped Kohli’s legacy in whites.
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