India's star batter and former captain Virat Kohli has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he is done with Test cricket. The board was told about the decision earlier this week. Kohli is unlikely to make himself available for the upcoming tour of England for five Tests.
Sports Tak has learned that a top official from the BCCI has asked Kohli to reconsider his decision. However, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will take a call on it during the team selection meeting. The Test series will begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.
The news comes days after Rohit Sharma decided to retire from the longest format of the game. On Australia tour, he scored 190 runs from nine innings at an average of 23.75. His only notable knock on Australia came in Perth Test when he scored a century.
If Kohli does not rethink his decision, India will go to England with an inexperienced side. So far, the BCCI is yet to announce the new Test captain. As there are concerns around Jasprit Bumrah's fitness since return, Shubman Gill is one of the frontrunners for the leadership role.
Kohli's Test career in numbers
If Kohli decides to retire, he will retire as India's fourth-highest run-scorer in the format. He made his Test debut in 2011 and has scored 9,230 runs from 123 Tests at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries.
Kohli's Test numbers in England
Despite the forgettable tour in 2014, Kohli has a decent record in England as he worked on his issues. He has scored 1,096 runs from 17 Tests on England soil at an average of 33.21, featuring two centuries and five fifties.
Kohli as Test captain
In 2014, Kohli took over Test captaincy from MS Dhoni. He led India to 40 Test wins from 68 games. He had a win percentage as high as 58.82, better than any Inidan captain who has led in five or more Tests. Under his leadership, India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2018-19 on Australian soil.