Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has suddenly announced his retirement from international Test cricket. Rohit Sharma took the same decision two days ago. However, Kohli’s retirement has surprised cricket fans more than that. According to Indian media, the captaincy issue played a role behind his retirement. He has taken such a decision because the BCCI did not give him the responsibility he wanted!
Speculations about Kohli’s retirement started after Rohit retired from Test cricket on May 7. At that time, it was heard that the BCCI had asked Kohli to reconsider his retirement. However, Kohli rejected it and announced his retirement on May 12. According to media sources, there was a possibility of making Kohli the captain again during the Australia tour. Kohli was even hinted at in that regard. After the loss in the second Test in Adelaide, Rohit was asked to be replaced and made the captain. But that did not happen.
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Rohit Sharma’s team was knocked out of the race for the World Test Championship final after losing to Australia in that series. After that, the BCCI started rushing to announce a new captain focusing on the upcoming England series. According to several media outlets, Shubman Gill is ahead in that race. That means that Kohli is not considering the leadership this time either. That may affect his retirement announcement. There are indications that Kohli has taken that decision suddenly, according to the coach of his Ranji team.
After a long time, Kohli and Rohit played the red-ball format in the Ranji Trophy ahead of the Champions Trophy. Delhi coach Sharandeep Singh clearly remembers that Kohli had no thoughts of retiring from Tests at that time. He told the IPL broadcaster, “I didn’t get any hint. I didn’t hear from anyone else either. I was talking to him on messages for a few days. I still didn’t realise that he was thinking of retiring. He has been in excellent form in the IPL. He said that he would play two matches for India ‘A’ team before the Test series starts. I am hearing this news suddenly.”
He also said, “There was no problem with form. He scored a century in Australia. He was not satisfied with that either. During the Ranji Trophy, he told me that he wanted to go to England and score 3-4 centuries. Because he is the most experienced cricketer in the team.” However, Kohli’s recent form with the red ball has not been that good. His average in five Tests in December-January was 23.75. He took catches behind the wicket in seven of the eight innings in which he was dismissed.
Kohli made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011. That same year, he played a brilliant innings of 116 runs in Adelaide during the tour of Australia. Which was his first Test century. Kohli has 9,230 runs in 123 Tests. Average 46.85. Centuries 30, half-centuries 31.
