From Gautam Gambhir to RCB, Cricket World Reacts to Virat Kohli's Test Retirement

Virat Kohli, the sporting legend, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, leaving the cricket community in shock. From Gautam Gambhir to RCB, the cricket world reacts.

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By Emilia Blake in Cricket
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Virat Kohli

Photograph: (Source: Virat Kohli Instagram)

Virat Kohli, the legend of India's cricket world, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, shocking the cricket community. After an amazing 123-match Test cricket career in which he amassed 9,230 runs, 30 hundreds, and 31 half-centuries, he retired. At 36, the former Indian skipper made an impassioned statement on Instagram that delved deeply into his incredible 14-year tenure as the India Test matches captain. 

The announcement immediately elicited an overwhelming amount of emotional reactions from the cricket community as a whole: colleagues, rivals, legends, and fans all showed their gratitude to a man who left an enduring impression on Indian Test cricket. Days after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the red-ball format, the announcement was made. After making his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011, Kohli played 123 matches and amassed 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds. He was the most successful Test captain in India's history, leading the team to victory in 40 of the 68 games.

Virat Kohli is ready to move on:

Taking to his official social media handle, Virat said, "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. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile.  269, signing off."

The Delhi native started with respectable scores but quickly gained notoriety after hitting a century in Adelaide during the 2011–12 Australian tour. He developed a special affection for that nation, particularly during the 2014–15 series, in which he amassed 692 runs in four Test matches. 

At about the same time, he was promoted to captain of India, replacing MS Dhoni in that role. India dominated this format under Kohli's captaincy, finishing first in the ICC Test rankings and making it to the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2021. The Delhi native received congratulations and best wishes for the future from several former Indian greats, including Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh.

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