Virat Kohli test retirement: Star Indian batsman tells BCCI he wants to quit Tests, board reacts

Kohli firm on Test retirement plan

Mental pressure has taken a toll

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Rohit Sharma Retires from Test cricket

What next for India?

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In a significant development ahead of the England tour in June, Virat Kohli has reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to retire from Test cricket. The Indian Express reported that Kohli made this decision after months of contemplation. The BCCI has since urged him to reconsider.According to the Indian Express, Kohli's desire to retire from red-ball cricket is not sudden. He has been thinking about it since the Border-Gavaskar series in December 2024. Despite scoring an unbeaten century in the first Test of that series, Kohli managed only 190 runs across five matches.Kohli's recent Test form has seen a decline. Over the past five years, he has scored 1,990 runs in 37 Tests with only three centuries. This marks a noticeable drop from his earlier performances.Kohli recently spoke about the mental strain of playing under pressure. At an event for Royal Challengers Bangalore in March, he said, “Once you start taking on the energy and the disappointment from the outside, then you start burdening yourself way more… And then you start thinking about things, like ‘I’ve got two or three days left on this tour, I need to make an impact now’. And you start getting more desperate. That’s something I’ve surely experienced in Australia as well.”Despite recent struggles, Kohli remains one of India’s most successful Test batters. In 123 matches, he has scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85.Kohli’s possible exit follows another major retirement. Indian captain Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday through social media.On Instagram, Rohit said, “Hello everyone, I would like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format.”The BCCI later confirmed Rohit's retirement from Tests and said he would continue to play One Day Internationals for India.With two senior players stepping away from the Test format, the Indian team faces key decisions ahead of the England tour. The BCCI is still trying to persuade Kohli to stay, but there has been no sign of a change in his stance so far.

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