Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned 14 years
It included 123 Tests - 68 of them as captain - in which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85.
"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," Kohli said in a social media statement on Monday morning.
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.
For Kohli, it hadn't been a particularly fruitful time in the format of late. When he scored 100 not out in the Perth Test in November 2024, it was his first century in Tests since July 2023
Despite that, it's understood that the team management and selectors wanted his experience on the England tour.
Apart from Rohit, R Ashwin had also retired from international cricket late last year..
Kohli, as well as Rohit, were included in the highest category (A+) in the latest BCCI contracts, which is usually meant for players who play all three international formats.
During his golden run, he averaged 75.93 in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, 55.08 in 2018, and 68.00 in 2019.