Yet, time has a way of forcing farewells. Love slowly fades, even stars must die one day. But the love named Kohli that can never truly be erased.
The ‘Virat’ star is nearing its end. Another grand chapter in Indian cricket history is about to close, as Virat Kohli is reportedly set to hang up the whites the symbol of elegance before the upcoming England tour. He has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his desire to retire from Test cricket.
Over the past month, Kohli had been in ongoing discussions with BCCI officials. Eventually, he has conveyed his decision to step away from Tests.
Although an official announcement is yet to come, it is believed that the upcoming England series could mark the beginning of the end for him. For months, Kohli has been in talks with the board about this, and now he wants to focus solely on One Day Internationals (ODIs).
If he doesn’t change his mind, it will mark the end of a glorious 14-year-long Test career—during which he played 123 Tests, captained in 68 of them, and won 40 matches. He has scored a total of 9,230 runs in Tests at an average of 46.85.
However, his recent form hasn’t been quite “Kohli-like.” His last century came in the Perth Test in November 2024. The one before that was in 2023 against the West Indies. After scoring 254* against South Africa in Pune in 2019, his average was 55.10, but in the last 24 months, it has dipped to 32.56.
Still, team management and selectors believe Kohli’s experience would be invaluable on the England tour. With Rohit Sharma’s retirement, India will take the field under a new captain. And Team India wants to make the most of Kohli’s colorful career and vast experience.
But there’s no denying—the final chapter has already begun. One by one, senior players are bidding farewell, signaling the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket.
Yet, the departure of this era’s brightest star leaves a deep sense of melancholy in every heart. Not long ago, Kohli’s bat was weaving magic. And now, we may no longer see him in white.
Still, time has a way of forcing farewells. Love slowly fades, even stars must die one day. But the love named Kohli—that can never truly be erased.
