Virat Kohli's Test Retirement-Ravi Shastri Reacts to a Legend’s Farewell
Virat Kohli's sudden retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, sent shockwaves across the cricketing world. The 36-year-old, who made his debut in 2011, marked the end of a great 14-year run with 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at 46.85, with 30 centuries. As India's greatest Test captain, he guided the team to 40 wins in 68 games, and in the process, developed a culture of aggression and discipline. Kohli referred to mental exhaustion as an important reason behind his decision, saying, "It's not easy, but it feels right". After announcing his decision, Kohli set out on a spiritual pilgrimage to Vrindavan with his wife Anushka Sharma and children in a bid to find peace and contemplation. The cricketing community, including former coach Ravi Shastri, was surprised and impressed by Kohli's work, recognizing the huge contribution he made to the sport.
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Virat Kohli's surprise retirement from Test cricket was a huge shocker to several including his previous coach Ravi Shastri. As one of India's greatest captain-coach combinations Shastri and Kohli had a great relationship that extended beyond cricket. Shastri recently spoke about how he reacted to Kohli's retirement and shared that it was not an impulsive decision.
Shastri said that he had spoken to Kohli about it just a week ago before the announcement. Kohli in the conversation was very clear about his mind. Shastri conceded that he had assumed earlier that Kohli would play Tests for another two or three years. After hearing what Kohli had to say, however, he realized that the star batter's mind was made up and there was no wavering.
Kohli's retirement was at a point when he was going through a slump in form particularly in Test cricket. Famous for averaging in the high 50s in his prime his average had slipped to over 46 by the time he retired. From December 2020, Kohli has played 65 Test match innings but his average during this time had been a humble 32.09 with only three hundreds and nine fifties. This extended run of drought was one of the reasons which could have made him take this decision.
Shastri stated that Kohli's style of cricket which always used to be fierce and attacking could also have been one of the reasons behind his decision. Kohli was not any ordinary player he was a skipper who played with his heart. Shastri explained how Kohli's passion for his work made him feel like he had to do everything whether it was scoring runs taking wickets or making decisions. This involvement could have resulted in burnout particularly considering the workload of being both player and captain.
Although Shastri was able to understand the rationale behind Kohli retiring from Tests himself was unable to accept it. He acknowledged that Kohli's retirement surprised him since he believed that Kohli had a couple more years in him. However he also accepted the fact that if a player feels mentally exhausted then even physical well-being cannot replace it. For Kohli, the mental fatigue became overwhelming and that was the tipping point.
Shastri also praised Kohli's influence on Test cricket. While T20 cricket was dominating the game at that time Kohli kept Test cricket on a high pedestal. His attacking captaincy his enthusiasm and his larger-than-life figure on the field made Test matches more thrilling to watch. In Shastri's opinion Kohli's style of play made the longest version of the game greater than life itself.
Fans all over the world looked up to Kohli not only for his talent but also for his aggressive demeanor on the field. Shastri noted how Kohli's attitude was contagious not only among his teammates but also among cricket enthusiasts across the globe. Be it Australia or South Africa Kohli was able to get the viewers hooked and interested in the game. Although his attitude at times got him into controversy there was never any doubt about his desire to win.
Kohli's retirement is the end of an era for Indian cricket. Though his departure was a shock, his legacy as a Test captain will be remembered for years. His commitment and devotion to the game left a mark not only on Indian cricket but also on the international stage. Shastri's thoughts about Kohli reveal that although the decision was not anticipated it was based on an element of self-awareness and a need to step away from a challenging position.
