Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma penned a heartfelt note as her husband Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of India's upcoming red-ball tour against England. Kohli, who last played a Test in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, took to social media to announce his retirement from the longest format of the game on May 12, 2025.
Anushka who is Kohli's biggest motivation took her Instagram to share a post for husband after his Test retirement.
"They’ll talk about the records and the milestones — but I’ll remember the tears you never showed, the battles no one saw, and the unwavering love you gave this format of the game. I know how much all this took from you. After every Test series, you came back a little wiser, a little humbler — and watching you evolve through it all has been a privilege" the post reads
"Somehow, I always imagined you’d retire international cricket in whites — But you’ve always followed your heart, and so I just want to say my love, you’ve earned every bit of this goodbye" Anushka added.
In his career, Kohli has played 123 Test matches, scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and the best score of 254*. He is currently India's fourth-highest run-getter in the longest format of the game behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).
He made his Test debut in June 2011 against Wesr Indies where he had a forgettable outing with just 76 runs in five innings. He marked his presence in Test cricket with a maiden century against Australia at Adelaide in 2012, when he he made 116 in 213 balls. In a tour where no other could touch 300 runs for India and giants like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag looked a shadow of their dominant selves, Virat top-scored for India with 300 runs in four Tests, including a century and fifty. Between 2011 to 2015, he made 2,994 runs in 41 Tests at an average of 44.03, with 11 centuries and 12 fifties in 72 innings.