Skip to main content
Kohli retires from Test cricket saying his ‘heart is full of gratitude’
Virat Kohli, September 6, 2021

FORMER India captain Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket.

The 36-year-old’s decision comes the week after Rohit Sharma, who succeeded Kohli as skipper, also retired from the red-ball format and a month before India start a five-match Test series in England.

Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests to stand fourth in India’s all-time list of Test run scorers.

He wrote on Instagram: “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.

“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.”

Morning Star Conference - Race, Sex & Class
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool, April 13, 2025
Premier League / 28 April 2025
28 April 2025