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Former India head coach Ravi Shastri couldn’t hold back his emotions as Virat Kohli, India’s modern batting great, recently shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from Test cricket.
The news broke just before India’s scheduled tour of England, marking the end of an iconic journey that began in 2011 when a young Kohli made his Test debut against the West Indies. Sitting on a Sony Sports panel, Shastri, who shared some of India’s greatest cricketing moments with Kohli as coach, visibly broke down while reflecting on the monumental career that had just concluded without much fanfare or a farewell match.
Ravi Shastri slams BCCI for Virat Kohli unexpected Test departure
Speaking with deep emotion, Shastri said, “Virat has announced his retirement from Test matches, which is sad, you know, because he’s a great player. A great player. It’s only when you go that people truly realise how big a player you were,” His sentiment echoed the emotions of millions who had followed Kohli’s relentless intensity, leadership, and class for over a decade in whites.
However, Shastri was quick to emphasize that Kohli’s greatness wasn’t confined to statistics.
“Stats don’t do justice, it’s about the way he carried himself, especially as an ambassador for Test match cricket,” Shastri stated. He reminisced about Kohli’s incredible performances overseas, especially at iconic venues like Lord’s, where his fire and flair turned matches around. “The way he played at overseas, and how his team turned things around, it was unreal. And I’m glad I was a part of it,” he added, clearly recalling India’s famous overseas triumphs under Kohli’s leadership.
While the cricketing world digests the surprise announcement, Shastri didn’t mince words when it came to how the situation was handled. Expressing disappointment over the lack of planning and recognition around Kohli’s retirement, Shastri suggested that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee had missed a crucial opportunity.
“I feel sad that he’s gone the way he has suddenly. It could have been handled better, maybe with more communication,” he lamented. In a striking admission, he added, “If I had anything to do with it, I would’ve made him captain straight after Australia,” This was a clear reference to India’s 2024–25 Test tour of Australia, where Kohli had displayed exceptional form and leadership instincts despite not officially captaining the side. For Shastri, bringing Kohli back into the leadership fold could have prolonged his Test career and given it a more fitting conclusion.
Ravi Shastri weighs in on Virat Kohli's Test retirement 🏏
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A record-breaking career that redefined modern Test batting
Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket as one of India’s most prolific batters. In a career spanning 123 Test matches, he amassed 9,230 runs at a robust average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, making him the fourth-highest run-getter in India’s Test history. Only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar stand ahead of him in terms of aggregate runs. Kohli’s departure isn’t just the loss of a generational batting talent, it also marks the end of an era in Indian Test leadership. With 40 victories in 68 matches, Kohli remains India’s most successful Test captain of all time. He inherited a side in transition and transformed it into a globally feared outfit, known for its ruthless fitness standards, aggressive mindset, and a pace bowling unit that could win Tests anywhere in the world.
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