Cricket news: “King Kohli” steps away from Test cricket and relinquishes his throne
After an incredibly successful 14-year Test career, legend Virat Kohli delivered heartbreak to India fans by officially announcing his immediate retirement from the red-ball format.
Following this massive news, Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal looks at how this retirement could affect Indian cricket with the five-match Test series against England coming up soon.
A farewell to one of India’s all-time test match greats
And so, after fourteen years of playing test match cricket, former India captain Virat Kohli has officially closed the curtain on what has been a sparkling career in cricket’s longest format.
The decision comes a week after Indian captain Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from the red-ball format.
Kohli took to social media to announce the decision saying "It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life."
"As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for.
"I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way.
The 36-year-old has played 123 test matches for India, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 including thirty centuries.
However, despite a successful career, the decision has come after Kohli’s poor run of form in the red-ball format, having only scored three test centuries since January 2020 at an average of 30.72.
Despite this, Kohli is still going out as a hero to many India fans who have grown up idolising and admiring everything he has done for the red ball format.
Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has stated that “no individual has done as much for test cricket as Virat Kohli as his passion, energy and commitment has helped so much.
One of India’s greatest-ever captains
As well as the phenomenal test career as a batsman, Kohli will also be remembered in test cricket for his fiery and successful run as captain of the national team which lasted nearly eight years.
Kohli captained 68 test matches for India, securing forty wins, seventeen losses and eleven draws with a remarkable win percentage of 58.82%.
Key moments of Kohli’s captaincy was leading India to their first-ever test series win in Australia, as well as captaining India to victory from almost certain defeat against England at Lords in 2021.
What next for team India?
Many questions are now being asked about the current state of the India test team, as two of their most experienced players have now both decided to walk away from the format.
With Kohli and Rohit Sharma both retiring, that is over 13,000 test match runs that are now needing to be replaced quickly, as India travel to England for the first test in just over a month’s time.
However, if there’s one thing that India cannot complain about, it is the depth of talent that they have across the nation.
And of course, head coach Gautam Gambhir will have an idea and plan as to who can replace these two giants of Indian cricket.
However, it will be tough for whoever is chosen to replace Kohli to replicate or even come close to the incredible amount of success that he has had for India in test match cricket.
As the king bows out of the red ball format, it’s now time for someone else to take the crown and create their own throne in Indian cricket.
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