Virat Kohli announces retirement from Test cricket with a heartfelt social media post.
Taking to Instagram on Monday, May 12, 2025, the Indian batter confirmed retirement from the Test format after 14 years.
The 36-year-old wrote, “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,” he added.
The former Indian captain expressed that he is walking away with a “heart full of gratitude” for the game, players he shared the field with and every single person who made him feel “seen along the way.”
He said he will always look at his Test career with a smile and ended the post with #269, signing off, referring to his viral Test cap number.
Although the announcement has left the cricket and Kohli fans sad, it was predicted after Rohit Sharma announced retirement from the format.
Both Sharma and Kohli took retirement from the T20 format together after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Virat Kohli's Test cricket stats
• Matches: 123
• Innings: 210
• Runs: 9,230
• Strike Rate: 55.57
• Highest Score: 254
• Half Centuries: 31
• Centuries: 30
• Double Centuries: 7
