Virat Kohli: India icon follows Rohit Sharma into Test retirement before England tour

India great Virat Kohli has announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket ahead of this summer’s tour of England.

Kohli scored 9,230 runs, including 30 hundreds and 31 fifties, in a 123-Test career that spanned 14 years and one of the most dominant periods in India’s history, though they were twice beaten in World Test Championship finals.

He also led the side between 2015 and 2022, winning 40 of his 68 matches as skipper to go down as his country’s most successful Test captain of all time.

Reports emerged over the weekend that Kohli had informed the national board of his intention to retire and now becomes the second legendary batter to call time in the space of a week, following opener Rohit Sharma.

“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket,” Kohli said in an Instagram post. “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.

“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy – but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.

“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.”

India tour England for a five-match series that starts next month and will do so with a new-look top order following the retirements of Kohli and Rohit. Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah are the leading candidates to replace the latter as captain.

Kohli retired from T20 internationals following India’s victory at last year’s World Cup, but remains available for one-day cricket.