“Never really will happen …”: A heartfelt tribute to Virat Kohli, a heartfelt tribute to India’s next Test Captain

Indian batsman Shubman Gill, who is allegedly a front-ranker to become the next Test captain of India, gave a heartbreaking note for batting veteran Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday. In his post on Instagram, Gill remembered Virat as 13 years old and left his energy in surprise and asked the batsman to “re -shape the mindset of millions”. He also hoped that the current generation of the players could carry “fire and commitment” Virat had brought the longest format.

“I write anything for you, Paaji, I will never have any that I think or the influence I think is on me. When you were 13 years old, then you were batting and thinking how a person can bring such energy to the field – to share the field with you and not to realize anyone else can not realize that you can not inspire all the generations, which you do not just inspire all kinds of renewed. @Virat. Kohli Paji, “Gill wrote.

In addition, Virat’s long -time team fellow and close friend KL Rahul welcomed Virat that watching him was a “privilege” and more than runs, it was his “passion, discipline and love for sports” that would be with everyone.

“What this is a journey. Watching you giving everything in the whites was a privilege. More than numbers, it is your passion, discipline and love that will be with us. I am thankful for memories, guidance and friendship. I will miss the hands, slip butter, and long dinner chat around the shoulder.

Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan also posted on his X, “You have a wonderful test career, @imvkohli! From sharing the dressing room banquet in our early cricketing days, to develop a legend and the best batsman in the world. Your fearless approach and dedication will inspire you to come as a legend and the best batsman in the world!”

What a wonderful test career you have, @imvkohliFrom sharing the banquet of the dressing room in our early cricket days, to see you as a legend and the best batsman in the world. Your fearless approach and dedication will inspire the coming generations! pic.twitter.com/pnisxl2v2s

– Shikhar Dhawan (@sdhawan25) May 12, 2025

Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman also posted on X, which not only did Virat “light up with your hot batting”, but “remains a great lawyer for Test cricket”.

“Really remarkable test career is over! Virat, not only you illuminated the plains with your hot batting, you remain a great lawyer for Test cricket. I love your passion and a champion’s mindset. Thanks for being such inspiration for so many, and thanks to all entertainment! Laxman.

Really remarkable test career is over! Virat, not only you illuminated the plains with your hot batting, you remain a great lawyer for Test cricket. I like your passion and a champion’s mindset. Thank you for being such an inspiration for so many, and… pic.twitter.com/38RL867780

– VVS Laxman (@vvslaxman281) May 12, 2025

He made his Test debut against the West Indies in June 2011. While his first Test tour was a great disappointment with just 76 runs in five innings, a young Virat made a name for himself with some serious, counter -attack in the coming days. His rise as a test player began in 2012 with his young woman tonne against Australia in Adelaide, when he scored 116 runs in 213 balls. In a tour where no other can touch 300 runs for India and veterans like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag saw the shadow of their prominent people, Virat scored the top for India with 300 runs in four tests including a century and fifty. Between 2011 and 2015, he scored 2,994 runs in 41 tests at an average of 44.03, with 12 centuries and 12 half -centuries in 72 innings.

Between 2016 and 2019, Virat had one of the strongest batting prime for a Test cricketer, scoring 4,208 runs in 43 tests at 66.79, with 10 fifty and 254*in 16 centuries and 69 innings. It also included seven double centuries, which was the highest by a captain in Test cricket history.
However, it has not been very good for superstar batsman in the 2020s, which has scored just 2,028 runs in average 39 tests of 30.72, with just three centuries and nine fifty in 69 innings with a fifty. His number received a great boost in 2023, where he scored 671 runs in eight tests on an average of 55.91, with two centuries and two fifties in 12 innings.

During this entire time limit, Virat fought with some notable weaknesses in the format, especially against the off-stump line and against delivery against spinners.

He finished on a shocking average of 22.47 with just 382 runs in 10 tests last year, with just one century and fifty in 19 innings. His last Test outing was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour in Australia since November-January, where he scored just 190 runs in nine innings of 23.75, with a highlight in his century in Perth. This was his first since July 2023, when he hit a tonne against the West Indies in Port of Spain in 2023. In addition, his last century at home came against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad in early 2023.

(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)