After finally lifting the IPL trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025, a moment fans had waited 18 long years for, Virat Kohli stood before the crowd, holding back tears, and delivered an emotional speech. But even in the glow of a long-awaited T20 title, Kohli’s mind wandered back to the red-ball format that shaped his career and cricketing identity.
While describing the IPL final as “one of the best moments” he’s experienced, Kohli was clear: “It still marks five levels under Test cricket. That’s how much I value Test cricket. That’s how much I love Test cricket.”
Kohli officially retired from Test cricket earlier this year, bringing the curtain down on a legendary red-ball career. In 123 Tests, he amassed 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries and a match-winning legacy as captain. But beyond the numbers, it was his intensity and passion for the format that made him stand out. The way he led India to victories overseas, brought a fast-bowling revolution, and made Test matches at home an unmissable event, earned him the respect of cricket fans and peers alike.
Speaking after RCB’s title win, Kohli turned the spotlight back to Test cricket: “If you perform in Test cricket, you walk around anywhere in the world, people look you in the eye and shake your hand and say, ‘Well done, you played the game really well.’”
To the next generation of cricketers, he offered advice from the heart: “Take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it. When you walk out with wonders on the other side, you earn the respect of the cricket world and of legends.”
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Kohli’s decision to walk away from Test cricket while still performing at the highest level wasn’t just surprising, it was deeply symbolic. It reflected a man who had achieved everything he had set out to in the format he cherished most, and who was ready to close the chapter with dignity and pride.
The IPL title win with RCB was the final box left to tick in an already glittering career. And though he placed it “five levels below” Test cricket, there’s no denying how much it meant to him emotionally.
With his red-ball career now behind him, Kohli leaves a legacy few can match, not just in runs and records, but in the way he inspired a generation to treat Test cricket not as an obligation, but as a privilege.
In an era of T20 stardom, Kohli’s parting words about Test cricket are a timely reminder of the game’s greatest format.
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