Virat Kohli Test retirement

‘If India get flogged 5-0 in England … ‘: Michael Clarke’s bold claim on Virat Kohli’s Test comeback | Cricket News

Danijones19 hours ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes Virat Kohli, who has often called Test cricket the pinnacle of the sport, might come out of retirement if India endure a heavy defeat in the upcoming five-Test series in England and the team management and selectors request his return.Kohli had announced his retirement from the longest format last month after playing 123 Tests for India, amassing 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.“I believe this. If India go to England and get flogged, if they lose the series 5-0 for example, I think the fans will want Virat Kohli to come out of retirement and play Test cricket again,” Clarke told the Beyond23 Cricket podcast on Friday.“And I honestly, I think if he was asked by the captain, selectors and supported by fans, if they get beaten big time in England, I think he’ll come. He still loves Test cricket.“I think his words, I think those words, like you could hear his passion for Test cricket is real.” Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy After fulfilling his long-standing dream of winning the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kohli had said the title still ranked “five levels under Test cricket.”Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma had announced their retirement from the Test format ahead of the England series, which begins with the opening match in Leeds on June 20.“Rohit Sharma retires from Test cricket. I think tactically any team will miss his captaincy. I think tactically he was a brilliant captain. Virat Kohli walks away from Test cricket. Devastating! What an absolute champion he’s been and Test cricket will miss him,” Clarke said.

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Virat Kohli’s Test retirement was driven by mental fatigue, not poor form: Greg Chappell

Danijones1 day ago03 mins

Former Australia cricketer Greg Chappell has said that Virat Kohli’s Test retirement was due to lack of mental clarity and not his prolonged poor form. Kohli recently announced his retirement from Tests ahead of the all-important tour of England. The star batter had been enduring poor form in the longest format since 2020 and hence people believed that it was Kohli’s inability to match his old consistency that pushed him into retirement. However, Greg Chappell feels that it was more due to the lack of mental clarity that the former India captain bid adieu to the format he loved the most. Chappel mentioned that Kohli accepted that his body was faltering as his mind wasn’t in line with it. “His decision was not born of diminished skill, but from the growing realisation that he could no longer summon the mental clarity that had once made him so formidable. He accepted that, at the highest level, unless the mind is sharp and decisive, the body falters,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo. Furthermore, Chappell mentioned how lack of mental clarity can affect decision-making and footwork at the crease. “When doubt begins to settle in the bones, it disrupts decision-making, impairs footwork, and erodes the spontaneity essential to elite performance. Kohli’s retirement is a reminder that form is more a function of the mind than it is of mechanics,” Chapell wrote. Kohli retired after having played 123 Tests and scoring 9230 runs in his career at an average of 46.85 with 30 centuries and 31 fifties to his name. He had been enduring poor form since 2020, having scored just 2028 runs from 39 matches (69 innings) at an average of 30.72 with three hundreds and nine fifties to his name. Since 2024, he scored 440 runs to his name from 11 matches (21 innings) at an average of 23.15 with one hundred and one fifty to his name. Due to prolonged poor form, his Test average has also taken a massive hit and dropped from 54.97 in 2019 to 46.85 by the end of his career. Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: Jun 6, 2025