The Cricket Control Council in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) expressed their reflections on the retirement of Star India Batter Virat Kohli of Test Cricket. Kohli announced on Monday his Test Cricket retirement, marking the end of an illustrious 14 -year -old career which saw him dominate a variety of conditions, regions and adversaries in whites, both as a striker and captain. Taking on their official round on social networks, X, the BCCI wrote: “Thank you, Virat Kohli! An era ends with the test cricket, but the inheritance will continue forever! @Imvkohli, the former captain of the India team, withdraws from the test cricket. His contributions to #Teamindia will always be darling!”
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗹𝗶!
An era ends with the test cricket but the inheritance will continue forever!@imvkohliThe former captain of the India team withdraws from the test cricket.
Its contributions to #Teamindia will always be darling! pic.twitter.com/mse5kutjep
– BCCI (@bcci) May 12, 2025
ICC also went to X and wrote: “White OFF, Crown Intact. Virat Kohli is goodbyed to test the cricket, leaving behind an unequaled heritage.”
White, intact crown
Virat Kohli is goodby to test cricket, leaving behind an unrivaled heritage
: https://t.co/vjuxwurl8p pic.twitter.com/6apbxkubq0
– ICC (@icc) May 12, 2025
Earlier, Kohli took his Instagram round and announced his decision to withdraw from the longest format of the game.
“It has been 14 years that I have not worn ample blue in test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the trip that this format would take me. It has been tested, shaped me and taught me the lessons I would wear for life. There is something deeply personal to play in whites.
“While I move away from this format, it is not easy – but it feels good. I gave it everything I had, and it gave me much more than I could have hoped for. I worry about a heart full of gratitude – for the game, for the people with whom I shared the domain, and for each person who made me feel along the way.
During his test career, the 36 -year -old player made 123 appearances in white clothes, marking 9,230 points at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 years fifties in 210 sleeves and the best score of 254 *. It is the highest fourth of the format run-det to, behind Sachin Tresulkar (15,921 points), Rahul Dravid (13,265 points) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 points).
He made his debut in the test in June 2011 against the Antilles. While his first test tour was a massive disappointment with only 76 points in five rounds, a young Virat made a name for serious blows and counterattack in the coming days. His ascent as a test player started with his young daughter against Australia in Adelaide in 2012, when he made 116 in 213 balls. In a tour where no other could touch 300 points for India and the giants like Sachin Tentulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag seemed in the shadow of their dominant self, Virat is at the top of India with 300 races in four tests, including a century and fifty. Between 2011 and 2015, he carried out 2,994 points in 41 tests at an average of 44.03, with 11 centuries and 12 fifty in 72 rounds.
Between 2016 and 2019, Virat experienced one of the first strongest mats of all time for a test cricket player, accumulating 4,208 points in 43 tests at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifty in 69 rounds and the best score of 254 *. It also included seven double centuries, most of them by a captain in the history of cricket.
However, the 2020s were not great for the superstar striker, having only made 2,028 points in 39 tests to a disappointing average of 30.72, with only three centuries and nine to display in 69 rounds. His figure received a boost from a fine 2023, where he made 671 points in eight tests at an average of 55.91, with two centuries and two fifty in 12 rounds.
During all this period, Virat fought against certain notable weaknesses in the format, in particular against deliveries outside the outstanding line and against the spinners.
He finished last year with only 382 points in 10 tests to a shocking average of 22.47, with only a century and fifty in 19 sleeves. His latest test outing was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour in Australia in November-January, where he only made 190 points in nine rounds on average of 23.75, his century in Perth being a culminating point.
This century was his first since July 2023, when he struck a ton against the Antilles in Port of Spain in 2023. In addition, his last century in the country came against Australia at the beginning of 2023 during the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Ahmedabad.
Virat’s career has been to overcome several setbacks and to take Indian cricket to new heights. Whether it is to break a point of Australian attack led by Mitchell Johnson for 692 points, including four centuries during the tour in Australia in 2014-15 and promising to be the new captain, guiding India to the maces of the ICC World Championship, having a dream and redemption tour in England in 2018 worth 593 races and five In 10 Infinte Centurion, Melbourne, Perth, Edgbaston and at home with a few world class strokes, the 36 -year -old gave fans of tons of memories to replay and cherish forever.
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