Former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu shared a heartfelt note, requesting star batter Virat Kohli to not retire from Test cricket. It was reported on 10th May that the 36-year-old has shared his thought to retire from the longest format of the game. The reports were out almost a month and a half before India begins their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle with a five-match Test series against England.
Ambati Rayudu shared a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) and appealed the batting maestro to reconsider his decision to retire. Rayudu stated the team needs him and believes that Virat Kohli has ‘much more‘ left in him. He also emphasized that Test cricket will not be the same for India without him coming out to represent the nation.
Virat Kohli please don’t retire.. The Indian team needs you more than ever. You have so much more in the tank. Test cricket will not be the same without you walking out to battle it out for Team India.. Please reconsider..
— ATR (@RayuduAmbati) May 10, 2025
“Virat Kohli please don’t retire.. The Indian team needs you more than ever. You have so much more in the tank. Test cricket will not be the same without you walking out to battle it out for Team India.. Please reconsider..” Rayudu posted on X.
According to reports, Virat Kohli has been having discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for more than a month. If Kohli actually ends up in retiring from Test cricket, it will mark the end of his spectacular 14-year long career. He played 123 matches in the longest format of the game, and scored 9230 runs with 30 centuries and an average of 46.85.
Apart from having a great record in batting department, Virat Kohli was also the most successful captain for India in the format, as he led the national team in 68 Test matches, and won 40 of them.
In case Virat Kohli retires from the red-ball format, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are going to be the most senior players in the team. Even though he has had low outcome in the red-ball format in recent time, Shubman Gill is a strong contender who might be given the leadership role for the England Test series
The post ‘Team needs you more than ever’: Former Indian star pleads Virat Kohli to rethink his decision on retirement from Test cricket appeared first on Cricket Country.
