Virat Kohli couldn't meet BCCI top officials due to India-Pakistan military action; he only spoke to Shastri: Report

Virat Kohli was considering Test retirement for quite some time. Loss of form, BCCI's strict policy for players' families on tours, Indian selectors wanting to look ahead were among the main reasons reported behind Kohli's decision to draw curtains on his red ball career, barely 752 runs short of 10000 runs. We would never know with certainty (at least for now), the real reasons behind Kohli's retirement, for he, like many other big names of Indian cricket in the past, had decided to stay within himself in the latter half of his career. Virat Kohli plays a shot(AFP)

However, there was one man in the cricket universe whom Kohli kept in confidence before deciding anything. Kohli reportedly spoke to former India head coach Ravi Shastri before taking a final call on hanging up his boots in whites forever. "It is understood that Kohli spoke to Ravi Shastri, his friend, philosopher, guide and mentor, before taking the call," claimed a Cricbuzz report.

To be honest, it should not surprise anyone. Shastri and Kohli were perhaps the biggest example of a coach-captain bond. The duo were not instrumental in making India a top side in Test cricket—India retained the Test mace for three years in a row during Shastri and Kohli's tenure—but they were also in sync about the policy-making of Team India.

“Can’t believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for test match cricket in every way you played and captained. Thank you for the lasting memories you’ve given to everyone, and to me in particular. It’s something I will cherish for life. Go well, champ.” — Ravi Shastri tweeted after Kohli announced his retirement in the first half of Monday.

Kohli couldn't meet BCCI officials due to India-Pakistan border tension

Was Kohli's decision well thought out and smooth? Yes, to a certain extent but it could have been deferred till the England series if the promised meeting between the BCCI top brass and Kohli had taken place. According to Cricbuzz, Kohli was supposed to have meetings with former BCCI secretary Jay Shah and current board vice president Rajeev Shukla, but due to military action between India and Pakistan, that may not have taken place.

India and Pakistan armed forces announced a ceasefire on May 11 after being locked in intense operations for close to five days. The root cause of the tension was the terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, where 26 tourists lost their lives. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, dismantling nine terror establishments in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

"...The buzz around the ecosystem is that he had decided to leave Test cricket a long time ago. He was to speak to Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary, too but one is not sure if that conversation has happened at all. There was to be a meeting between him and Rajeev Shukla, an influential figure in the BCCI. But that may not have taken place because of the recent border tensions," the report stated.

Kohli, however, did speak to the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar at least twice over the phone and exchanged a few messages. The story could well have been different if Kohli had met the BCCI officials or maybe not but one thing is for certain that a quiet exit like this was the last thing that Khli deserved in the format he advocated so passionately right throughout his decorated career.

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