Virat Kohli played 123 Test matches for India before retiring. The Indian batting legend Virat Kohli officially ended his Test career on May 12. The right-handed batsman appeared in 123 Tests for the Indian cricket team over a span of 14 years, from 2011 to 2025. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Kohli retired a bit earlier than expected from Test cricket.
During his career, Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 210 Test innings, including 31 half-centuries and 30 centuries. He also notched up seven double centuries in the longest format. Although he fell short of the 10,000-run milestone, Kohli concluded his career as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests, behind legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Virat Kohli retirement came as a major surprise to many fans, as he was widely expected to participate in the upcoming Test series against England. The two teams are scheduled to compete in a five-match Test series starting June 20.
Ravi Shastri is confident that Virat Kohli still had two years of Test cricket left in him.
Kohli retired from Test cricket at the age of 36, which is relatively earlier compared to many cricketing legends. Former cricketer and commentator Shastri believes Kohli could have continued playing for two more years and expressed a wish to see him lead India in the upcoming Test series against England.
“I am sure Virat still had two years of Test cricket left in him. I would have loved to see him play in England this summer. It would have been a good idea to hand him the captaincy for the tour, but he must have his reasons for stepping away,” the 62-year-old told Sportstar.
Shastri also suggested that Virat Kohli retirement might have been driven more by mental fatigue than fitness issues, noting that Kohli was as fit as his teammates.
“Perhaps mental exhaustion influenced his decision, as he was as fit as any other player on the team. He knows his body best, but the mind likely played the deciding role. I wouldn’t rule out burnout as a key factor in ending his career at such a crucial time for Indian cricket,” Shastri added.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli will continue to represent India in ODI cricket. He had already retired from T20 Internationals last year after India’s triumph in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Just days before Kohli’s Test retirement, India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma had also announced his retirement from the longest format.