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The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared their opinions over the retirement of star Indian batsman Virat Kohli from Test cricket. He made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies.
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Earlier, Kohli confirmed his intention to retire from the game's longest format on his Instagram account.
"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. There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.
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. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off," Kohli posted on Instagram.
The 36-year-old played in 123 Test matches while wearing white, amassing 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds and 31 fifties in 210 innings, with the highest score of 254*. After Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs), and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), he is India's fourth-highest run scorer in the format.
ICC and BCCI pay rich tribute to Virat Kohli
In an illustrious 14-year career that saw him dominate a range of conditions, regions, and opponents in whites as a hitter and captain, Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday.
The BCCI posted a rich tribute on X with the caption: "Thank You, Virat Kohli! An era ends in Test cricket, but the legacy will continue forever! @imVkohli, the former Team India Captain, retires from Test cricket. His contributions to #TeamIndia will forever be cherished!"
https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1921818936477204767
On the other hand, the International Cricket Council (ICC) also took to social media and posted a rich message wishing Virat Kohli.
They posted: "Whites off, crown intact. Virat Kohli bids goodbye to Test cricket, leaving behind an unmatched legacy."
https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1921822636977385483
Virat had one of his best batting seasons ever from 2016 to 2019, with 4,208 runs at an average of 66.79 in 43 Test matches, including 10 fifties and 16 hundreds in 69 innings, and a top score of 254*. Seven double hundreds were also included, the most by a captain in the history of Test cricket.
With only one hundred and fifty runs in 19 innings, he finished the previous season with a pitiful average of 22.47 and 382 runs in 10 Test matches. His most notable Test performance was his century at Perth during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour to Australia between November and January, during which he amassed just 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in nine innings.
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