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Ravi Shastri reveals Virat Kohli's plans after complete retirement from cricket. Kohli intends to step away from the limelight, declining coaching or commentary roles, focusing on ODIs until then.
Former Team India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri has revealed star batter Virat Kohli’s plans once he completely retires from his cricketing career. Kohli recently announced his retirement from his illustrious Test career before India’s five-match series against England, starting on June 20.
Virat Kohli’s Test retirement came just a few days after Rohit Sharma decided to call time on red-ball cricket after he was reportedly sacked from the captaincy duties. Before announcing his Test retirement on his Instagram handle, Kohli had informed his decision to step away from the longest format of the game to the BCCI, who reportedly urged the ace batter to reconsider his decision, given the vitality of the England tour as Team India aims to win the Test series on England soil for the first time since 2007.
However, there are several twists and turns in the speculations around Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket. Kohli’s last appearance in the format came in the Sydney Test, where he scored 17 and 6 in both innings. After scoring a century in the opening Test in Perth, the 36-year-old failed to maintain consistency as he could aggregate 190 runs, including a century, at an average of 23.75 in nine innings.
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What’s next for Kohli after Test retirement?
Virat Kohli is currently playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the ongoing IPL season, where he is currently fifth leading run-getter with 505 runs, including seven fifties, at an average of 63.12 in 11 matches. RCB have qualified for the playoffs after their match against KKR was washed out due to rain in Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans’ win over Delhi Capitals.
Kohli retired from the T20Is after Team India’s T20 World Cup triumph last year, defeating South Africa in the final. After retiring from the T20Is and Tests, the veteran Indian batter’s focus will be only on ODIs. Kohli is expected to play the ODI World Cup in 2027 as the Men in Blue Men in Blue look to build a strong, experienced core around him in their quest to end the ICC trophy drought in the 50-over format.
Kohli was part of the Team India that won the 2011 World Cup and reached the final of the 2023 edition of the tournament, where they lost to sixth-time champions Australia.
Kohli’s plans after retiring from cricket
Though Virat Kohli is still playing cricket in IPL and ODIs, former head coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the ace batter will stay away from the limelight once he calls it quits from his career and won’t take up coaching or commentary duties.
"He is still around to serve Indian cricket in ODIs, but I also know that Virat will walk away from the game once he is done playing cricket. He is not the kind who would like to coach or take on the role of a broadcaster.” Shastri said on Star Sports.
“I will miss him when India plays its first Test in England. He was a champion, and that is what I would like to remember – never conceding an inch," he added.
Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket as the fourth-leading run-getter of the format for India, amassing 9230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, at an average of 46.85 in 123 matches.
Virat Kohli had led Team India in Tests from 2011 until relinquishing his captaincy duties after Test series defeat against South Africa in 2022. Kohli is the most successful Indian captain with 40 wins in 68 and has a win percentage of 58.82.
