Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year career in the longest format of the game.
The 36-year-old made the announcement ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England, which begins on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. He shared the news through a statement on his Instagram account.
“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,” Kohli wrote.
“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.”
View this post on Instagram
Kohli’s massive records:
Kohli retires as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. He made his Test debut in Jamaica against the West Indies, just two months after being part of India’s ODI World Cup-winning squad in 2011.
THE LAST TEST CENTURY OF VIRAT KOHLI IN TEST CRICKET. 🥹pic.twitter.com/RLa7vEhdGp
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 12, 2025
His final appearance in the format came during the New Year’s Test against Australia in January at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Over the course of 123 Tests, Kohli amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. His highest score—an unbeaten 254—came against South Africa in 2019 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
On Saturday, a day before the announcement, Kohli reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to retire. A senior BCCI official had urged him to reconsider, but Kohli ultimately stood by his decision.
