Okay wait… just give me a sec.
Because this is BIG. Like… really big.
Virat Kohli – the face of Indian cricket, the fire, the aggression, the one who made us feel things… has retired from Test cricket.
Yes bro, that actually happened. 💔
“It’s not easy – but it feels right.”
– Kohli in his emotional post on social media this morning.
Bruh… my chai legit went cold after reading that.
🧢 How it all started…
Let’s rewind back a lil.
The year was 2011, India touring West Indies. A 22-year-old Kohli got his first Test cap.
First few innings were like… meh. He scored 4 and 15 in his debut match.
Most of us were like “theek hai, ODI wala banda hai, test mein kya hi karega?”
But then boom 💥 – later that year, playing again against West Indies at Wankhede, Kohli scored 52 and 63.
Wasn’t some epic innings, but that spark… that mental toughness… you could see it. The guy wasn’t here to just survive. He came to DOMINATE.
The Aussie Challenge – Turning Point 🔥
Now if you remember the 2011-12 Australia tour, you know how bad that series was for India overall (lost 4-0 💀),
but Kohli… man stepped up.
In the final Test at Adelaide, he smashed his first Test century. And not just a boring one — he was fighting sledging, pressure, Aussie crowd — and still tonned up. That was the real intro.
But the real explosion came in 2014-15 – Australia again, but this time he wasn’t just a player… he was captain too (Dhoni retired midway).
Four centuries in the series. 692 runs.
Like… what even??
That’s the moment we all realised — this guy’s not here to follow legends, he’s here to become one. 🐐
Captain Kohli = BEAST MODE 💯
Soon he took over as full-time Test captain, and bro didn’t look back.
In 68 Tests as captain, India won 40 of them. That’s literally the most by any Indian captain. Even Dhoni had “only” 27 from 60.
Kohli created a Test team that actually believed in winning abroad. England, Australia, SA — sab jagah fight diya.
And not just that… he made fitness cool. Fielding insane, attitude aggressive, and the love for red-ball cricket came back.
He used to treat every session like a World Cup final 😤
Also… who can forget the way he celebrated wickets — that jumping + shouting combo 😂 Classic Virat.
The Dip… but never done 😕
Let’s be real – not every year was gold.
Last 2-3 years weren’t the best. His average dropped to around 32.
Only scored 2 centuries in the last 2 years. His last ton came in Perth (2024).
People started questioning – “Is Kohli finished?”
But guess what? He still made it to the playing XI purely for leadership and presence. That’s the level of respect he had.
BCCI knew before we did 🤫
Turns out, Kohli had already told BCCI about his plan to retire from Tests before the England series starting in June.
He had been talking to selectors for a month now.
Everyone thought he’ll still go for one last tour, but nope… he wanted to leave on his own terms.
Also… side note – Rohit Sharma retired from Tests last week 😳
Ashwin too is done.
Feels like the whole 2016–2021 Indian team era is slowly fading away…
What’s Next for Team India?
Now the big Q – who’s gonna lead India in Tests??
All signs pointing to Shubman Gill. Young blood, calm mind, stylish player – but HUGE pressure.
Also, players like Jadeja, KL Rahul, and Bumrah are the only remaining “seniors” in the squad now.
This is officially a new era of Indian Test cricket. Whether we ready or not.
Some of his Best Test Memories 💭
- That 254* vs South Africa in Pune. Literally flawless.
- The 2018 England tour, where he shut down critics who said “he can’t play swing” – scored 593 runs.
- Winning in Australia TWICE as captain — no Indian had ever done that before.
- That epic sledging battle with Aussies where he said “I’m not friends with them anymore” 💀
- And of course… making “playing in whites” cool again.
His Message to Fans ❤️
“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments… I’ll always look back with a smile.”
No lies here. Kohli owned the Test format.
He didn’t just play – he performed, he fought, he inspired.
Is He Fully Retired? Nah…
Don’t panic yet.
Kohli is still available for ODIs.
He retired from T20Is after winning the World Cup in 2024 (with Rohit).
So yeah… we’ll still see him smashing sixes in colored jersey. Just not in whites anymore.
The Legacy 💬
He may not have the most runs. He may not be the “stat GOAT” like Sachin or Dravid.
But bro… Virat Kohli changed how India played Test cricket.
He made it aggressive. He made it emotional. He made it about passion.
And in doing so, he created memories that’ll last forever.
Whether you’re a fan in Delhi or Dallas, Mumbai or Michigan — if you love cricket, you felt this retirement today.
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