Virat Kohli’s Full Statement on Test Retirement: “Not Easy to Step Away, But…”

Virat Kohli’s Full Statement on Test Retirement: Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, bringing an end to a remarkable 14-year career in the longest format of the game.

Bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned 14 years and included 123 Tests - 68 of them as captain - in which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85.

Kohli's last Test in Indian jersey came in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the fifth game in Sydney. Kohli will also be remembered most for his spell as captain between 2014-2022.

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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.

As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.

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I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way.

I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.

#269, signing off.

Kohli decided to retire ahead of India’s upcoming tour of England, which begins next month with the series opener at Headingley in Leeds. Before the announcement, he had informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to step away from Test cricket.

Just two days later, Kohli confirmed his decision via an Instagram story, where he expressed gratitude for the role Test cricket played in shaping his character and teaching him valuable life lessons.

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