Virat Kohli has informed the BCCI of his intention to retire from Test cricket, prompting the board to request a rethink ahead of the crucial England tour.
India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli has expressed his desire to retire from Test cricket, as per a report by The Indian Express. The former captain conveyed his decision to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), but the selectors have asked him to reconsider, especially with a demanding five-Test series in England looming next month.
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Virat Kohli’s move comes shortly after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the longest format, potentially leaving India without both their senior-most batters in the Test middle-order for an England tour at the start of a new World Test Championship cycle.
According to the report, selectors are expected to meet soon to finalise the squad for the England tour. With Kohli and Rohit stepping away, India may enter the new World Test Championship cycle with a relatively untested core, placing additional responsibility on players like KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant.
Kohli, now 36, has played 123 Tests and scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. However, his form has waned in recent years, averaging just 23.75 in the latest tour of Australia.
Speaking at an RCB event in March, he hinted at mental fatigue and the challenges of sustaining peak performance, especially in overseas tours. Despite a century in the first Test in Australia, he struggled for consistency, with seven of his eight dismissals coming outside the off stump.
Kohli had already retired from T20Is after India’s T20 World Cup win in 2024 but has remained in strong form during IPL 2025, scoring 505 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 143.46. If Virat Kohli retires from Tests ahead of the England tour, it’ll be a massive blow to the experience in India’s batting line-up.
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With Rohit out and Kohli possibly following suit, Shubman Gill is reportedly the frontrunner to take over the Test captaincy. If Kohli stands firm on his decision, it could mark the end of a celebrated era, as he and Rohit together led India’s red-ball side for over a decade.
The Indian Express report also suggests that Kohli has not yet responded to the BCCI’s appeal and is still contemplating the final call. If Kohli retires despite the request, the selectors will need to take a hurried call on the replacements for two stalwarts ahead of a major overseas tour.
