India’s cricketing icon Virat Kohli has officially retired from Test cricket, drawing the curtain on a legendary 14-year career that redefined batting excellence and leadership in the longest format of the game.
Kohli, 36, made the announcement via an emotional post on Instagram on Monday, saying, “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket… I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more.” Signing off with “#269,” his Test cap number, he reflected on the lessons, memories, and relationships formed through a journey that began in 2011 against the West Indies.
Across 123 Test matches, Kohli amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries, 31 half-centuries, and a highest score of 254 not out. He finishes as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test history, behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Kohli’s impact was most profound during his captaincy era, particularly between 2016 and 2019, when he was at the peak of his powers, averaging 66.79 and notching up 16 centuries — including seven double tons, a record for a Test captain.
While the 2020s saw a dip in form, Kohli still produced standout moments, including a century in Perth during his final Test series in Australia and a crucial ton in Port of Spain in 2023. He ended his Test career with a quiet final chapter, struggling during the 2023–24 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but remained a symbol of grit and passion.
From his maiden century in Adelaide (2012) to his dominant tour of Australia in 2014–15, a redemption tour of England in 2018, and countless memorable knocks across Melbourne, Edgbaston, Centurion, and Ahmedabad, Kohli elevated Indian Test cricket to global heights — both as a batter and a tactically astute, aggressive leader.
Kohli’s retirement leaves behind not just stats but a rich legacy — of intense rivalry, unmatched consistency, and a fierce love for the traditional format that inspired a generation.
Fans, teammates, and cricketing legends across the world are expected to pour in tributes for the man who wore the whites with pride, passion, and purpose.