Virat Kohli has retired from Test cricket after 14 years, following Rohit Sharma's similar decision. His final Test century against Australia in Perth saw him surpass Don Bradman's century count, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket.
Team India batter Virat Kohli bid his emotional adieu to his illustrious Test career after playing for 14 years. The Indian batting legend already communicated to the BCCI about his desire to step away from the longest format ahead of the Test tour of England, which is slated to take place on June 20. Though the Indian cricket board reportedly convinced Kohli to reconsider his Test retirement call, the veteran batter was very firm on his stance to pull the curtains down on his illustrious career in the format.
Virat Kohli’s Test retirement came just a few days after Rohit Sharma announced his decision to move on from red-ball cricket after he was reportedly removed from captaincy. Kohli and Rohit have been cornerstones of India’s batting line-up for over a decade, leading the team through a golden era in Test cricket with their match-winning performances and inspiring leadership. Kohli calling it quits from the longest format of the game marks the end of an iconic chapter in the history of Indian Test cricket.
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Virat Kohli’s last appearance came in the Sydney Test, where he scored 17 and 6 in both innings. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 was the last Test series in Kohli's career, capping off his era where he redefined consistency, aggression, and fitness in the longest format of the game.
Virat Kohli’s last Test century overtook Don Bradman’s tally
As Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket, the Indian batting great moved on from the longest format of the game after he surpassed Australian batting legend Don Bradman’s tally of 29 centuries. This came when he scored his 30th and last century of his Test career against Australia in the opening Test of the BGT in Perth.
Kohli played a pivotal role in India’s win in the opening Test of the five-match Test series against Australia scoring a century in the first innings. Kohli walked out to bat when India were 275/2 after Devdutt Padikkal’s dismissal and anchored the team’s innings. The right-handed batter was batting on 96 when hit a boundary to complete his 30th century of his Test and guided Team India to 487/6 before declaring the first innings. This laid the foundation for a 295-run win for India.
Following his Perth Test century, Virat Kohli could not maintain his consistency in the next four Tests as he ended the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 with 190 runs, including a century, at an average of 23.75 in nine innings.
Virat Kohli hinted at retirement before next Australia Test tour
Virat Kohli had already hinted at his retirement from international cricket before the next Test series against Australia, which will take place in 2028. Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab in Bengaluru ahead of the IPL 2025, the ace batter reflected on his performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, stating that he might not get a chance to make amends after disappointing Test series against Australia.
“If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I've been - For me the most recent Australia tour would be the one that's most fresh. So, it might feel the most intense to me. But I can't look at it that way. I might not have an Australia tour again in four years.” the 36-year-old said.
“I don't have the chance to correct it. So you have to make peace with whatever's happened in your life. Like in 2014 (against England) I still had the chance to go in 2018 and do what I did. It might not have been the case.” he added.
