‘Why did you retire, Virat uncle?’ Harbhajan’s daughter writes to Kohli after retirement

Virat Kohli’s sudden decision to retire from Test cricket just weeks before India’s crucial tour of England has stunned everyone. At 36, the modern-day great showed no signs of slowing down. He was supremely fit, in commanding form, and just 78 runs shy of claiming the Orange Cap in the ongoing IPL 2025.

Even his return to the Ranji Trophy earlier this year — his first in over a decade — suggested that he is serious about continuing. According to former India off-spinner and Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh, who oversaw that Ranji appearance, Kohli had shown no signs of planning retirement and had even spoken about “scoring maximum hundreds” in England once again.

Harbhajan Singh’s daughter stunned

The retirement announcement not only surprised fans and former teammates but also his budding fans. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh shared an emotional anecdote involving his young daughter Hinaya. Harbhajan shared details about his daughter’s emotional reaction to Kohli’s retirement in a recent interview

“She said to me, ‘Papa, why did Virat Kohli take retirement? I want to message him,’” Harbhajan revealed. Hinaya went on to write to Kohli herself: “I am Hinaya. Why did you take retirement?” Kohli, ever gracious, responded warmly, albeit cryptically: “Beta, now it’s time.”

Kohli finishes with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, and a captaincy record of 40 wins in 68 matches. His final series — the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy- saw a lone century in Perth but also showed his struggles against seam movement, one of the few blemishes in his Test career.