Virat Kohli has broken his silence on his sudden retirement from Test cricket, offering a tongue-in-cheek remark about ageing as a subtle indication of his decision to step away from the format he once considered the pinnacle of the sport.
The former India captain, attending a charity gala hosted by Yuvraj Singh in London for the YouWeCan Foundation on Tuesday, said, “I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it’s time when you are colouring your beard every four days.”
It was the first time Kohli addressed the abrupt nature of his retirement from Test cricket, announced via a quiet social media post in May. The brevity of that note and the absence of any prior indication had left fans, teammates, and cricketing observers stunned.
Kohli, now 36, departs the format with one of the most distinguished records in Indian cricket. In 123 Tests, he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. His flair with the bat was matched by an aggressive leadership style that saw India triumph in 40 out of 68 Tests under his captaincy. With a win percentage of 58.82, he remains India’s most successful Test captain and ranks third globally among those who have led in at least 50 matches.
Also read: India will miss Kohli more than Rohit: Boycott
Though he stepped down from the T20 format last year following India’s T20 World Cup victory in the Americas, Kohli has reiterated his commitment to continuing in One-Day Internationals.
The timing of his remarks, during a warm gathering of past and present cricketers, added an air of poignancy and levity to an otherwise emotional decision. The London event brought together cricketing greats to support cancer awareness, an issue close to both Kohli and Yuvraj Singh.
Earlier this year, Kohli also achieved what he once described as “unfinished business”, winning the Indian Premier League title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The emotional scenes that followed RCB’s maiden triumph over Punjab Kings reflected the depth of his attachment to the franchise he has represented since the tournament’s inception in 2008.
Even at that celebratory moment, Kohli maintained his reverence for the longest format. “Test cricket is five levels above IPL,” he had said, a sentiment that perhaps made his decision all the more difficult to accept for the cricketing faithful.
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