Virat Kohli has reportedly informed BCCI about his decision to retire from Test cricket (Credit: PTI)
Photo : PTI
According to recent reports, former Indian captain Virat Kohli has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he plans to retire from Test cricket before the start of the June 20 tour of England. If the reports are to be believed, it is unlikely that Kohli will be available for the five-match Test series in England, after he informed the BCCI of his decision a few days ago.
This report of Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket comes just days after captain Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from the longest format. The same happened after India won the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year. A senior BCCI official has urged him to change his mind.
Ambati Rayudu Urges Virat Kohli To Not Retire
Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu reacted to the news and urged the Indian batting maestro Kohli to not retire. He said Kohli has a lot left in the tank and that the red-ball format will not be the same without him.
"Virat Kohli please don’t retire.. The Indian team needs you more than ever. You have so much more in the tank. Test cricket will not be the same without you walking out to battle it out for Team India. Please reconsider," Ambati Rayudu wrote from his official 'X' account.
In order to decide the England tour squad and begin a new World Test Championship cycle, the selectors are scheduled to convene shortly. It would be devastating to lose Kohli now.
This season, Kohli has had a difficult run. He only scored 190 runs in five Test matches against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the first game in Perth, he did score a century, but after that, his form declined. Nevertheless, his career totals of 9230 runs in 123 games, including 30 hundreds, speak for itself. He is still regarded as one of India's best, even when he is struggling.
The middle order, already without Rohit, will appear much less experienced if Kohli does leave, and players like KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal will need to step up quickly. However, for fans, it is more than just runs or averages—it is about seeing one of the modern greats of cricket leave the game, and maybe too soon.
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