Virat Kohli Contemplates Test Retirement Following Rohit Sharma's Exit

Kohli's Potential Departure from Test Cricket

In light of Rohit Sharma's unexpected retirement from Test cricket, there are emerging reports indicating that Virat Kohli is also contemplating stepping away from the format before India's upcoming five-match Test series in England. A video shared by a County Championship account on X humorously addressed Kohli's situation, stating,

"We don’t blame you Virat."

The video showcased bowlers dismantling the stumps, leaving batters bewildered as they struggled against the challenging conditions.

Watch the video here:

We don't blame you Virat https://t.co/cwuevL7Lrs pic.twitter.com/kK86e3AGHE

— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 10, 2025

Kohli's contemplation of retirement follows Rohit Sharma's announcement made via a cryptic Instagram post. Speculation had suggested that Kohli might take over the captaincy for the England series, but he has reportedly requested the selectors to exclude him from consideration.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill is said to have had discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar regarding his future plans, with an announcement regarding his potential captaincy in red-ball cricket expected by late March.

Read also: Ponting's Grit: PBKS CEO on How He Convinced Players to Stay

Kohli's Test Performance Under Scrutiny

Virat Kohli has struggled to make a significant impact in England, accumulating 1,096 runs across 33 Test innings at an average of 33.21, with only two centuries to his name. His standout performance came in 2018 when he led the run charts with 593 runs and earned the Player of the Series title. However, since 2020, his form has waned, with 2,028 runs from 69 innings at an average of 30.72. His batting average has dropped from 54.97 in 2019 to 46.85 currently, and with just one century since 2024, Kohli is reportedly weighing his retirement options. Nonetheless, a senior BCCI official has encouraged him to reconsider, expressing hope that he will continue his career.