Former India captain Ravi Shastri said that he was surprised by Virat Kohli's shocking decision to announce Test retirement ahead of the upcoming series against England. Shastri believed that the former India captain had another 2-3 years left in him. He also said that Kohli was also “mentally fried and overcooked” which led him to take the decision.
Kohli, who is currently featuring for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, shocked everyone by announcing his Test retirement on May 12 ahead of the upcoming five-Test match assignment which is scheduled to start from June 20.
“I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that [his announcement] and his mind was very clear that he’d given us everything. There were no regrets. Virat surprised me because I thought he had at least two-three years of Test match cricket left in him. But then, when you’re mentally fried and overcooked, that’s what tells your body. You might be physically the fittest guy in the business. You might be fitter than half the guys in your team, but mentally you’re well done, as they say, then it sends a message to the body. You know, that’s it,” Shastri said on the ICC Review.
Shastri also recalled Kohli's wild celebration after a wicket and aggressive approach in the longest format of the game. The former India coach reckons that he is one of the main reasons why people watch the game.
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“He’s got accolades around the globe. He has a bigger following than any other cricketer in the last decade. Whether it’s Australia, whether it’s South Africa, he just got people to watch the game. There was a love-hate relationship. They would get angry because he had the ability to get under the skin of the viewers. In the way he celebrated, you know his intensity was such that it was like a rash. It spread very quickly, not just within the dressing room, but within living rooms as well for people watching cricket. So, he was an infectious personality,” he added.
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Kohli played 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and also led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, which is the most by an Indian captain.
“If he decided to do something, then he gave his 100%, which is not easy to match. Individually, as a bowler, as a batsman. A player does his job, [and] then you sit back. But [with Kohli] when the team goes out, it’s as if he has to take all the wickets, he has to take all the catches, he has to make all the decisions on the field,” Shastri said.
“That much involvement, I would think there’s going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn’t take a rest, if he doesn’t compartmentalise how much he wants to play across formats, there is bound to be a burnout,” he added.