It's surreal to think that Virat Kohli will not be donning the baggy blue of India anymore. The end of an era in Indian Test cricket? Yes, absolutely.
A man who became synonymous with ceaseless energy has decided that he won't play the longest format, which really separates the wheat from the chaff, anymore. But why now? Why not after the England tour or in a years' time perhaps? Virat is definitely fit enough, and despite many speculating about his red ball future, his sheer presence on the field is a factor that the selectors must still rate highly. Also, his trademark consistency in the IPL is once again on full display. He must be feeling good about his cricket.
So, why now?
A Retirement Had Been In Discussion
Most credible news reports have claimed that Virat had been discussing Test retirement with the BCCI for at least a month, and that he had been asked to reconsider, with the very important 5-Test series of England coming up. In other words, he was going to be a shoo-in for a spot in the squad for that tour. So, it's not what Rohit Sharma reportedly had to face. Other reports have claimed that Virat wanted Test captaincy, something that former England captain Michael Vaughan felt was the best course of action after Rohit retired from the format, but also something that the Indian Board, management and selectors weren't realistically going to agree on, with the entire mindset in Indian cricket now being one of looking to the future. Shubman Gill is already being tagged as the frontrunner to take over from Rohit as the new India Test captain (one must spare a thought for Jasprit Bumrah here), and Head coach Gautam Gambhir has a point or two to prove after India's shambolic Test performances against the Kiwis at home, and then in Australia.
If we are to believe that Virat wanted to become Test captain again, was this then his way of saying, ‘if you don't give me what I want, then I won't stay?'. That really doesn't sound like the man. Would someone who is playing under Rajat Patidar's captaincy in the IPL, really find it that difficult to play under Shubman's stewardship for India? No, this feels like a completely personal call. One taken after much consideration. We already know that he spoke to multiple teammates - both past and present about his decision.
Being The Best, Is All
The fact of the matter is that Virat is an athlete who is not satisfied unless he is at his very best, in his absolute prime, in every format, in every tournament. He doesn't just want to compete, he wants to be the best, every single time, in everything, for his team. For him, his prime is not dependent on his age or his form, it's a mindset. In the annals of international cricket, it would be hard to find too many cricketers who have had so much self-belief.
In February 2022, India blanked the West Indies 3-0 in an ODI series at home. It was also a series in which Virat scored 26 runs in three innings. Calls for him to be dropped were echoing loudly. After the third ODI, a reporter asked Rohit Sharma whether he thought Virat was feeling under-confident. Rohit looked surprised for a bit, but couldn't hide his amusement for long as he laughed and replied, “Virat Kohli ko confidence ki zaroorat hai? Kya baat kar rahe ho yaar.” (Virat Kohli needs confidence? Are you serious?) Rohit's response has become a part of cricketing folklore.
Were There Doubts?
But at the end of the day, Virat is also human. He may not show it on the outside, but there might be a doubt or two racing through his mind. Combine these two things and you might just have the answer to the question as to why Virat retired from Tests now. The answer might just be India's next Test opponents - England - and, more specifically, the conditions for Test cricket in the UK. Virat toured England thrice in his Test career, from 2014 to 2021-22, and his average in the 15 Tests he played on those tours combined was 33.65. That is well below his overall career Test average of 46.85. The moving ball in England and James Anderson in particular challenged him greatly on his first tour in 2014, where he finished with 134 runs in 10 innings. But Virat being Virat, vowed to conquer the demons that hid in the seaming conditions.
On his next tour, he emerged as the highest run-getter overall, with 593 runs, at an average of 59.30. He smashed two centuries and three half-centuries. But then again, on his last England tour, in the 2021-22 Pataudi Trophy, his bat fell silent as he managed to score just 249 runs in nine innings, at an average of 27.66, with no centuries.
Consider that along with the last Test series Virat played, which was also an away series - the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy, in Australia - where he began with a fantastic century in Perth, but then finished the series with a total of just 190 runs, at an average of 23. Maybe, just maybe, he would have thought that there is a possibility of another below-par outing in England this summer, and with that would have come the inevitable barrage of criticism and calls to drop him.
For a man who has given Indian cricket so much, scoring 30 Test centuries, 51 ODI tons and over 27K international runs, despite the crippling expectations, to go through something like that again was perhaps just not acceptable. It would have also dented the legacy, no doubt.
Perfect Timing?
Also, the upcoming tour will mark the beginning of a new WTC cycle for Team India. What better time to hand over the baton? Remember the song he chose for his retirement post on Instagram? Frank Sinatra's evergreen classic, ‘My way'. That's the way he played his cricket, and that's the way he chose to ride off into the Test sunset. If that indeed is what Virat was thinking, then it is a very pragmatic decision. No one knows when it's best to leave better than the individual himself or herself. With his fitness levels, he would have, in all probability, made the cut for the Tests series against the West Indies in October and then against South Africa in November-December - an opponent against whom he has his highest Test score of 254* (2019), which is also the highest Test score ever by an Indian captain. But Virat had made up his mind.
A Lesson In Selflessness
Let us also not forget the selflessness of the man. The most successful Indian Test captain (won 40 of 68 Tests as skipper), he chose to hang up his Test boots when he could have very easily played on for at least another year, maybe completed 10K Test runs and even got a farewell Test. But he chose against a final roll of the dice. If you think the fans always want to see only ‘King' Kohli, imagine how Virat, who gives the game everything he has every time he steps onto a cricket field, wants to see himself. Nothing short of excellence will make him happy. That's the mantra he has followed in everything - his training, his fitness, his game. He became a legend a long time ago. He stamped his authority on the game a long time ago. He might not have completed 10k Test runs, but numbers don't define his legacy. The sheer impact he had on the game as a batter, a captain and a competitor is what people will always remember. Like every other cricketer, he, too, had his challenges, his lows and his lean patches. But realistically, his achievements far outweighed any of that. There was nothing left to prove.
Over the last few years, Virat has also sought a more private life. He has wanted to give more time to his family, away from the constant media glare. The move to London with his family was prompted by that. At this stage of his life and career, he might still be that fierce competitor who is not willing to give an inch on the field, but off it, he seeks calmness. Now, with his Test commitments over and with only ODIs and the IPL to play, the ‘King' will find a lot more space where he can be just Virat.
(The author is a former sports editor and primetime sports news anchor. He is currently a columnist, features writer and stage actor)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
