Virat Kohli’s decision came as a big surprise to the cricket world but not to the management of the Indian cricket team as the star batter informed about his intensions to retire in April to chief selector Ajit Agarkar, reports The Indian Express. On Monday (May 12, 2025), the 36-year-old cricketer took on his Instagram to call it time from the longest format of the game and a report suggests that he did it in order to spend more time with his family.
Kohli’s decision came just a week after skipper Rohit Sharma also retired from international red-ball cricket as the Indian cricket team now head towards a transition phase with the series against England set to begin from June 20.
As per Indian Express, Kohli messaged Agarkar about his decision to retire. In reply, the board asked the star cricketer to not make any “hasty decision” but he did not change his mind and contacted the board again on May 7. He was then asked to hold and think about his decision again amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
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Once the ceasefire was announced, Kohli told the BCCI that he is going to make his statement public. The family restriction policy did not sit well with him.
“The role of the family is very difficult to explain to people, how grounding it is to just come back to your family every time you have something which is intense, which happens on the outside,” he said earlier during an event in Bengaluru.
“I don’t think people have an understanding of what value it brings. I don’t want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. Then you can really treat your game as something that is a responsibility,” Kohli added.
