“Records did not matter to him”: 1983 World Cup winner Virat Kohli’s test reflects retirement

In a stunning step, Virat Kohli declared his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, depicting reactions from the cricket world. Among them, former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani believes that Kohli’s decision was free from any external pressure. Kirmani feels that the continuous load of international cricket may have pushed to remove star batter. The 1983 World Cup-winner also said that Kohli still had more to contribute to the format, but left his terms.

Virat Kohli ended his red ball journey as India’s fourth biggest run-scorer in Test cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar. Known for his passion, intensity and fitness, Kohli re -defined Test cricket for the modern era, both as a player and as a captain.

Reacting to this news, Syed Kirmani praised Kohli’s self -awareness, saying, “I don’t think it is after a record. It could be a lot of cricket that caused it to cause.

Kirmani stated that form and performance questions were irrelevant in the context that the option was clearly a personal.

Kohli’s last red-ball appearance was for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy earlier this year, which made the announcement even more unexpected. Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh also expressed surprise, Kohli said that he had shown a clear intention to continue playing at the highest level.

Kohli’s last red-ball appearance was for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy earlier this year, which made the announcement even more unexpected. Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh also expressed surprise, Kohli said that a clear intention was shown to continue to play at the highest level. Fans are set to celebrate Kohli’s legacy in the upcoming match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders on 17 May.

A fan-led initiative calls for viewers to wear white test jersey with Kohli’s name and number 18 as a tribute to his prestigious test career.

On the leadership front, experienced spinner R Ashwin has supported Jasprit Bumrah as a potential candidate to lead India in the red-ball format. While Kohli’s test chapter has officially closed, his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come as one of India’s largest test players.