Virat Kohli Announces Retirement from Test Cricket, Curtains Down on an Illustrious Career

On Monday morning, Indian cricket fans almost got a setback as the Talisman of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from test cricket. India's cricket icon, Virat Kohli, has publicly announced on social media the end of a 14-year career in Test cricket.

The 36-year-old Kohli made his retirement from Test cricket formally known to the world via social media. "I haven't worn the baggy blue in test cricket in fourteen years. Although it is difficult, it feels natural to move away from this style." Kohli looked back on his career with appreciation.

After making his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011, Virat Kohli scored 116 runs in the first Test in Adelaide, which was a significant first Test century during the 2011–12 tour of Australia. With 9230 runs from 123 Test matches over the course of 14 years, including 30 hundreds and 31 half-centuries, Kohli would go on to establish himself as the backbone of India's batting order.

In addition to his outstanding batting performances, Kohli's leadership revolutionised India's red-ball cricket strategy. He became captain in 2014 and has since played 68 Test matches, winning 40 of them, the most of any Indian men's Test captain. After Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, and Graeme Smith, this tally was the fourth-highest number of victories ever by a skipper in Test cricket history.

In addition to being the fourth-highest century maker for India in Test cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar (51), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34), Kohli's legacy is reflected in records and statistics. The national record for double hundreds (7) and the record for the most test hundreds as India's captain (20) are also held by Kohli.

The announcement of Rohit Sharma's decision to retire from Test cricket comes shortly after Kohli's retirement, marking the end of an era for Indian cricket in which the two men were essential to India's dominance in all game formats over the previous ten years. With a World Cup trophy in hand, Virat Kohli had already announced his retirement from T20 internationals the previous year. He last played for the national side earlier this year, when they won the Champions Trophy under Rohit Sharma's leadership.

With Kohli's departure from Test cricket, perhaps the most influential period in Indian cricket comes to a close as the country enters a new era. Kohli's legacy will endure for centuries to come because of his unwavering enthusiasm, love of the game, and unconscionable drive for perfection.