When the news of Virat Kohli retirement announcement came out recently, it was not just the news of a player’s retirement but it was a sign of the end of an entire era. In this article, we will know in detail about Kohli’s cricket life, his contribution, retirement announcement and his impact.
Virat Kohli – A name that gave a new identity to Indian cricket. His mere presence on the field was a cause of fear for the opposition team. Be it batting technique or captaincy strategy, Kohli made cricket not just a game but a passion. His fitness, aggression and mental toughness put him in the category of the best players of the modern era.
Virat Kohli’s cricket journey: from struggle to peak
Childhood and early days
Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988 in Delhi. He started taking interest in cricket at a very young age. His father recognized his passion and enrolled him in the West Delhi Cricket Academy. From there his journey started which made him a world-winning player.
From Under-19 to International Cricket
In 2008, Virat made his international debut by winning the Under-19 World Cup for India. In the same year, he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka. Initially he was considered an ordinary batsman, but soon his consistency and hunger for scoring runs made him the mainstay of Team India.
Kingdom in all three formats
Contribution in ODIs: Kohli has scored over 13,800 runs in 274 matches, including 51 centuries. Both his strike rate and average are excellent.
Virat in Tests: 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. His best score was 254*.
Explosive performance in T20: Virat has been the most successful batsman in T20 World Cup history. He had a special contribution in making India win the 2024 World Cup.
Captaincy: The identity of the new India
Kohli took over the Test captaincy after Dhoni in 2014 and gave a new direction to the team. He transformed the Indian team into an aggressive and fitness-focused unit.
Created history by defeating Australia in the Test series on their own soil in 2018-19.
Kept India at No. 1 in the Test rankings for 5 consecutive years.
Led the team to two finals of the World Test Championship.
Retirement speculation: When and why?
Kohli’s form has declined since 2020. His run machine slowed down, especially in Test cricket. After a poor performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, speculation intensified that Virat might retire from Test cricket.
He quit ODI captaincy in 2022.
After winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, he announced his retirement from T20Is, making it clear that he is slowly calling time on his career format by format.
Virat Kohli Retirement Announcement: Official Announcement
On May 12, 2025, Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in a post on his Instagram. He wrote:
“14 years ago I wore the Test jersey for the first time. This journey has taught me a lot. Now it’s time to move on.”
In the post, he used the hashtag #269SigningOff, which refers to his Test cap number.
Context and significance of the announcement
Kohli’s announcement came just five days after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Tests. The timing was also significant as it was just ahead of the upcoming series against England, where Kohli was almost certain to be included.
Kohli had already informed the BCCI about his decision, but the board wanted him to play one more series. But Kohli stood firm on his decision.
Reactions: Acceptance of the end of an era
Flood of emotions on social media
After Kohli’s announcement, fans’ emotions poured out on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Hashtags like #ViratKohliRetirementAnnouncement and #ThankYouVirat started trending.
Opinions of former players and experts
Sachin Tendulkar: “The passion with which you played cricket will continue to inspire the next generations.”
Ravi Shastri: “Virat revived Test cricket.”
Michael Vaughan: “He was one of the last great Test batsmen. His departure touches the depth of cricket.”
Kohli’s legacy and impact on the younger generation
Father of the fitness revolution
Kohli made the ‘Yo-Yo test’ mandatory in the Indian team and established himself as a ‘fitness icon’. His move completely changed the cricket culture of India.
Role model for young players
Players like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant have considered Kohli as their role model. He taught them not only how to play, but also how to think.
Future prospects: Virat beyond the field
Commentary or coaching?
Experts believe that Kohli can be seen as the coach, mentor or commentator of the Indian team in the coming years.
Business initiatives
Kohli has already pursued his business interests through the ‘One8’ brand and chain restaurants.
Social contribution
Through the Virat Kohli Foundation, he is working on children’s education, sports and health.
Family life
Kohli has already indicated that he now wants to spend more time with his family—wife Anushka Sharma and children.
Conclusion: End of an era, beginning of an inspiration
- The Virat Kohli Retirement Announcement was not just a retirement news, but also a new era for the Indian team.
- This marked the end of an era in cricket. Kohli, through his play, leadership and behaviour, showed what makes a player a hero.
- His legacy cannot be described in words. He has become every young cricketer’s inspiration, every fan’s dream, and the soul of Indian cricket.
- Kohli may no longer be seen on the Test cricket field, but his influence will continue to flow through every vein of Indian cricket.
FAQs RELATED TO Virat Kohli Retirement
1. Virat Kohli Retirement age at the Test retirement announcement?
- The announcement of retiring from Test cricket was made on 12 May 2025, at which time he was 36 years old. The decision was based on his career trajectory and form.
2. Is Virat Kohli going to retire from Test cricket?
- Yes, Virat Kohli’s Test retirement announcement was made on 12 May 2025. He posted an emotional farewell on Instagram to his Test career.
3. Why is there trending news about the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?
- Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have lately retired from different formats of the game. Rohit retired from Test Cricket in 2025, while Kohli too retired from Tests at the same time. With the retirement of this duo, a new era has been ushered in Indian cricket.
4. Will Virat Kohli announce his IPL retirement following that of Test cricket?
- There is no official announcement made yet on Virat Kohli’s IPL retirement. Kohli represents Royal Challengers Bangalore, and his fans are happy to see him play in the IPL.
5. What is the date for Virat Kohli’s retirement? And how was the impact?
- Virat Kohli retirement from Test Cricket came on 12 May 2025. This Virat Kohli retirement announcement made the fan and cricketing fraternity have mixed responses. This is a major change for the Indian Test team, as now the burden falls on new players to shoulder the responsibility of an in-between order.
6. Will Virat Kohli retire from ODI cricket anytime soon?
- As of now, Virat Kohli has not made any announcement for retirement from One Day Internationals (ODI).
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