Virat Kohli has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to step away from Test cricket, according to a report by The Indian Express. However, top board officials have urged him to reconsider, especially with the crucial England tour approaching. “He has made up his mind and has informed the board that he is moving on from Test cricket. The BCCI has urged him to rethink as the crucial England tour is coming up. He is yet to revert on the request,” the news report quoted sources as saying.
Kohli’s decision follows Rohit Sharma’s recent announcement to retire from the longest format, creating a significant vacuum in leadership and experience within India’s Test setup. With selectors set to meet soon to finalise the squad for the upcoming five-Test series in England, Kohli’s final call holds critical importance.
The former India captain has reportedly been contemplating his Test future since the Border–Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year. Although he scored a century in the opening match, Kohli struggled through the remainder of the series. He averaged just 23.75 across five Tests, falling to deliveries outside the off stump in seven of his eight dismissals.
If Kohli confirms his retirement, India will head to England with a relatively inexperienced middle order. KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are expected to occupy the top spots, with Rishabh Pant lower down the order. However, the absence of seasoned campaigners like Rohit and Kohli will be strongly felt. Between them, the two stalwarts led India’s Test team for nearly 11 years—Kohli from December 2014, followed by Rohit from February 2022. With both senior players stepping away, the selectors are likely to hand the reins to a younger leader. According to the report, Shubman Gill is the front-runner.
Speaking at a Royal Challengers Bangalore event earlier this year, Kohli reflected on his mindset during the Australia tour. “I might not have an Australia tour again in me in four years’ time,” he said. He also acknowledged his mental struggles: “Once you start taking on the energy and the disappointment from the outside… you start burdening yourself.”
The news of Kohli’s potential Test retirement has sent shockwaves through the cricketing community, with fans expressing disbelief and urging the star batter to reconsider. Just days after Rohit Sharma’s abrupt exit from Test cricket, the announcement has stirred a wave of emotional reactions across social media.
According to the Indian Express, Kohli reportedly communicated his decision to the BCCI, and the BCCI has since urged the star Indian batter to stay. The development, coming just before a BCCI meeting for the England tour, has triggered widespread attention. Both Kohli and Rohit had earlier stepped away from T20Is together after India’s World Cup win in Barbados. Now, within months, India’s Test batting core is facing another major transition.
The timing of this news hits harder given that India is entering a new World Test Championship cycle. With Rohit and Kohli possibly gone, the batting unit will be led by a relatively young core in Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. India also endured a tough outing in their last Test series against Australia, where the side faced a 3-1 defeat. With a challenging English tour looming, an inexperienced batting order isn't an ideal situation for the team management.
Several fans pointed to Kohli’s words from an RCB event earlier this year, where he reflected on the toll of the Australia tour: “I might not have another Australia tour in me, so I am at peace with whatever happened in the past.” That line now feels like a farewell in hindsight. Despite a forgettable run Down Under, Kohli’s overall Test record stands tall; he has played 123 matches, scored 9,230 runs, and made 30 centuries, remaining etched in Indian cricket’s golden pages.
Virat Kohli is reportedly set to retire from Test cricket ahead of India’s 2025 tour of England, citing mental fatigue, poor form, and shifting priorities. After a disappointing series in Australia and already retiring from T20Is, Kohli appears ready to move on from red-ball cricket. Sources suggest he informed the BCCI of his decision, despite their appeal to reconsider.
At 36 years old, Kohli is likely focusing on preserving fitness for white-ball formats like the 2027 ODI World Cup. With rising stars taking over and emotional burnout mounting, the cricket legend may be choosing to exit Tests on his own terms. Kohli endured a dismal 2024–25 Test series in Australia, scoring just 190 runs in five Tests, with the second highest score being 36. Kohli had already hinted that the 2025 Australia tour might be his last overseas red-ball series.
Sources close to the BCCI claim Kohli has “made up his mind” to step away from the format and has expressed his desire that he is done in the format. Kohli’s struggles against moving balls were exposed during the recent series, with eight out of his ten dismissals coming via edges to the slip cordon, reigniting retirement talks across cricket forums.
As Kohli prepares to make his final decision, the absence of his experience will be felt deeply within the squad. With Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket and R. Ashwin pulling the curtains down during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah will be the only two seniors starting the England tour, if Kohli remains adamant on his call. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are not in the scheme of things for the Test side anymore, and Mohammed Shami, after returning from a long layoff injury, is yet to play a red-ball game.
As the cricketing world waits for Kohli’s final decision, the impact of his potential retirement looms large. Fans, analysts, and former players alike are watching closely, understanding that this could mark the end of an era for Indian cricket, one that has been defined by Kohli’s remarkable achievements and contributions in the Test format. The selectors will have a challenging task ahead as they look to rebuild the team’s core without these two stalwarts, and the upcoming series in England will be a significant test of the new generation’s mettle.
