'It's not easy, but feels right': Virat Kohli on his Test cricket retirement

Confirming the speculations that had claimed Kohli informed the Indian cricket board his wish to retire from Tests, the 36-year-old took to social media on Monday to announce his retirement with a long, emotional message as he shifts his focus solely to One Day Internationals from now.

"It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.

"There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever," writes Kohli.

Kohli, who has recurrently been compared to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar over the years, admits walking away from the longest and the most cherished format of the sport was not an easy decision to take.

The right-handed batter with 30 Test hundreds and 31 half-centuries undoubtedly has a lot to cherish for lifetime.

"I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way.

"I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile," the maverick cricketer added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) congratulated Kohli, the former India captain who led the national team to various triumphs, on his illustrious journey in red-ball cricket.

BCCI wrote on X, "𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗹𝗶! An era ends in Test cricket but the legacy will continue FOREVER! @imVkohli , the former Team India Captain retires from Test cricket. His contributions to #TeamIndia will forever be cherished!"

Kohli, who grabbed the limelight in Tests in Australia in 2014, ironically faced massive criticism over his forgettable run in the same country during the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025.

Marked by inconsistency, the cricket giant scored only 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. Among 190 runs, 100 came from a single innings further questioning Kohli's form, which prompted cricket experts to almost write his cricketing obituary.

Despite a poor run in Tests, Kohli delivered solid performances in the One Day Internationals and Indian Premier League leaving the experts believing the cricket giant might board the flight to England where India will be led by a new captain in absence of Rohit Sharma, who announced retirement from the format days ago.

Though BCCI had reportedly appealed to Kohli to reconsider his retirement plans, the cricket stalwart seemed to have reached a point of no return.

In Rohit and Kohli absences, the Indian selectors will have to pick a new captain for the England tour beginning month.

With Rohit and Kohli going out, the team will be largely dependent on KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant.