NEW DELHI (Dunya News) - Indian cricketing icon Virat Kohli has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing down the curtain on a monumental red-ball career that spanned 123 matches, yielded 9230 runs, and included 30 centuries and 31 fifties.
Kohli shared the emotional news on social media, just a week after teammate and current skipper Rohit Sharma also retired from the longest format. In a heartfelt post, Kohli reflected on the journey that began in 2011 against the West Indies, and blossomed into one of the most influential Test careers in modern cricket.
“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites… I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more,” Kohli wrote, signing off with #269, his Test cap number.
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Kohli’s rise in Test cricket began in earnest during the 2011–12 tour of Australia, where he defied tough conditions to notch his maiden Test century in Adelaide. From there, he evolved into a dominant batter and later a historic leader.
Also Read: India skipper Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket
As captain, Kohli led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, making him the most successful Test skipper in Indian cricket history. Only Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have more Test wins as captain.
Kohli’s batting legacy in Tests is just as remarkable: • 30 Test centuries: 4th-most by an Indian, after Sachin Tendulkar (51), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34) • 7 double centuries: most by any Indian Test batter • 20 Test centuries as captain: an Indian record, far surpassing Gavaskar’s 11
Kohli's retirement marks the end of an era defined by intensity, passion, and relentless pursuit of excellence. While he continues in the shorter formats, his absence from the whites will leave a void in world cricket’s most traditional stage.