Right-handed batsman Virat Kohli officially announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12 via his Instagram post, leaving the cricketing world stunned. Known for his passion, intensity, and unmatched dedication, Kohli’s sudden decision sparked emotional reactions from fans, teammates, and cricket legends alike.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, reacting to Kohli’s retirement news, questioned the timing and surprise of the announcement. “I didn’t expect this right now,” he remarked in an interview. Fans also flocked to social media to post Kohli tributes, expressing gratitude and nostalgia for the legendary cricketer’s journey in the whites.
Coach Rajkumar Sharma Backs Kohli’s Call
Rajkumar Sharma, Kohli’s childhood coach, fully supported the decision. In an interview, Sharma stated,
“𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕. 𝑨𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉.”
Emotional Moment for Indian Cricket
Rajkumar added,
“𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒋𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒑𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝑫𝑰 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒑, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔 100 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕.”
Kohli’s Glorious Test Career in Numbers
During his Test career, Virat Kohli scored 9230 runs in 123 matches, averaging 46.85, including 30 centuries and seven double centuries. Notably, four double tons came in two consecutive series, which remains a world record. His highest score of 254 against South Africa* in Pune (2019) still stands out as one of his most dominant performances.
Kohli’s Captaincy Legacy
Kohli’s leadership was equally impactful. He captained India in 68 Test matches, winning 40, losing 17, and drawing 11. Under his guidance, India won its first-ever Test series in Australia (2018-19). Another memorable moment came in Lord’s 2021, where India defeated England in a historic match, highlighting Kohli’s tactical brilliance.
Kohli’s Impact on Indian Cricket and Fans
Kohli’s retirement marks the end of an era. For fans searching for Kohli’s Test match records, his ICC profile reflects a legacy built on consistency and aggression. His impact on youth, especially as a fitness icon and role model, is irreplaceable.
What’s Next for Virat Kohli?
As fans download Kohli’s career highlights and buy Kohli memorabilia online, there is growing hope that he will focus entirely on the ODI World Cup. Whether you want to watch his farewell videos, share a Kohli retirement tribute, or discuss his Test stats on forums, one thing is sure: Virat Kohli’s Test legacy will inspire generations.
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