After an incredible 14-year career in the game's longest format, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday. He played his final red-ball match at the International level earlier this year in the New Year's Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.

Before India's forthcoming tour of England, which starts next month with the series opener at Headingley in Leeds, Kohli decided to call it quits in the whites. He had previously communicated his desire to retire from Test cricket to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Shubman Gill On Virat Kohli's Test Retirement

Star Indian batter Shubman Gill, who is hailed as the Prince of Indian cricket by fans penned down a heartfelt note for Virat Kohli. He expressed how he used to watch him play when he was 13 to share the field with him. He praised him and called him an inspiration for himself and millions of others.

"Anything I write for you, paji, will never truly capture what I feel or the impact you’ve had on me. From watching you bat when I was 13 and wondering how someone could bring that kind of energy to the field - to sharing the field with you and realizing no one else possibly can - you’ve not just inspired a generation, you’ve reshaped the mindset of millions," Shubman Gill captioned his post for Virat Kohli.

"I know how much Test cricket meant to you, and I hope our generation can carry forward that same fire and commitment. Thank you for everything. Happy retirement, @imVkohli paji," he added.\

The Indian batting maestro retired after playing 123 Test matches and amassing 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 hundreds and 31 fifties under his belt. He hit his first Test century against Australia in Adelaide in 2012 and made his debut in the longest format back in 2011 against the West Indies.

India's most successful Test captain, Kohli, led the team in 68 Test matches, winning 40, losing 17, and drawing 11. India achieved their first series victory in Australia in 2018–19 under his leadership, along with numerous other noteworthy triumphs abroad, the most well-known of which was against England at Lords in 2021.

His greatest series performance to date occurred against Australia in the 2014–15 Border Gavaskar Trophy, where he amassed 692 runs from eight innings at an average of 86.50, smashing four hundreds.

He played a crucial part in India's overwhelming victory by an innings and 137 runs in Pune in 2019, where he achieved his highest Test score of 254* against South Africa. During his career, Kohli also achieved seven double hundreds, four of which were in consecutive series, setting a world record.

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