Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 12 (ANI): The cricket world was taken by surprise after former India captain Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket just weeks to go before the England series.
Soon after the announcement, reactions began pouring in from fans and celebrities.
Actor Suniel Shetty, an avid cricket follower, reshared Kohli’s post on his Instagram along with a caption that read, “You didn’t just play Test cricket, Virat. You lived it. You honoured it, breathed fire, wore your heart on your sleeve, and your passion like armour. The roar. The grit. The obsession. The heart. Take a bow, champ. The red-ball rests, but your legacy…”
Vicky Kaushal also shared his admiration for Kohli in his post, writing, “You did it your way, and that way will truly be missed. Congratulations on an incredibly inspiring Test career and thank you for the memories, Champ!”
The 36-year-old took to his Instagram account on Monday to announce his retirement as he reflected on his 14-year-long journey in the longest format of the game.
A part of his Instagram post read, “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. 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.”
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In his Test career, the 36-year-old made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and a best score of 254\*. He is India’s fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).
He made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies. While his first Test tour was a massive disappointment with just 76 runs in five innings, a young Virat made a name for himself with some serious counter-attacking knocks in the following years. His rise as a Test player started with his maiden ton against Australia at Adelaide in 2012, when he made 116 in 213 balls. In a tour where no other Indian could touch 300 runs, and giants like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag looked a shadow of their dominant selves, Virat top-scored for India with 300 runs in four Tests, including a century and a fifty. From 2011 to 2015, he made 2,994 runs in 41 Tests at an average of 44.03, with 11 centuries and 12 fifties in 72 innings.
Between 2016 and 2019, Virat had one of the strongest batting primes ever seen in Test cricket, piling up 4,208 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties in 69 innings, including a best score of 254\*. This also included seven double centuries, the most by a captain in Test cricket history.
However, the 2020s have not been great for the superstar batter, with just 2,028 runs in 39 Tests at an underwhelming average of 30.72, with only three centuries and nine fifties to show in 69 innings. His numbers received a boost from a fine 2023, where he made 671 runs in eight Tests at an average of 55.91, with two centuries and two fifties in 12 innings.
During this time, Virat battled some notable weaknesses in the format, particularly against deliveries outside the off-stump and against spinners.
He ended last year with just 382 runs in 10 Tests at a shocking average of 22.47, with just one century and fifty in 19 innings. His last Test outing was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour to Australia from November to January, where he made just 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75, with his century at Perth being a highlight.
That century was his first since July 2023, when he hit a ton against the West Indies at Port of Spain. His last century at home came against Australia in early 2023 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Ahmedabad.
Virat’s career has been about overcoming several setbacks and taking Indian cricket to new highs. Be it smashing a peak Australian attack led by Mitchell Johnson for 692 runs, including four centuries, during the 2014-15 Australia tour, or announcing himself as the new captain, guiding India to ICC World Test Championship titles. He had a dream-like redemption tour to England in 2018, where he scored 593 runs with five fifty-plus scores, after managing just 134 runs in 10 innings during his previous tour to the UK. He also braved world-class bowling attacks in Centurion, Melbourne, Perth, Edgbaston, and at home, producing world-class knocks. The 36-year-old has given fans countless memories to replay and cherish forever. (ANI)
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