Following India’s T20 World Cup victory, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirements from international T20 cricket. Ravindra Jadeja soon followed suit. Now, ahead of the upcoming England series, skipper Rohit Sharma has also declared his retirement from Test cricket.
According to reports, Virat Kohli may be the next to bid farewell to the longest format of the game. Cricket news outlet Cricinfo has revealed that the star batter has been in discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding his potential retirement from Test cricket—a conversation that reportedly began over a month ago.
However, the Indian team management and national selectors are eager for Kohli to continue playing Tests, particularly with the crucial five-match Test series against England scheduled for next month. They have advised him not to make a final decision before the tour.
If Kohli decides to retire, India will face a significant experience vacuum in their Test squad. Rohit Sharma has already stepped away, Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from all forms of international cricket, and Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are no longer part of the squad. Fast bowler Mohammad Shami is still not fully fit for Test-level action.
Kohli’s absence would place tremendous pressure on Shubman Gill, who is expected to take over the captaincy. Should Kohli go through with his retirement, it would bring an end to a 14-year Test career spanning 123 matches, during which the 36-year-old has amassed 9,230 runs and scored 30 centuries.
