Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma abruptly retired from Test cricket in May 2025, shocking the cricketing world. A few days before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, the two titans of Indian cricket announced that they would no longer play the longest format of the game. Former Indian cricketer Karsan Ghavri offers a completely different perspective on their poor performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, which many believed pushed them towards retirement.
While many believed their poor form in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy led to retirement, Ghavri claimed it was actually BCCI “internal politics” and selectors pressure that forced them out.
“He [Kohli] should have definitely continued playing for India easily, probably for another couple of years. But something really forced him to retire. And unfortunately, when he retired, he was not even given a farewell by the BCCI,” said Ghavri on the Vickey Lalwani Show.
“Such players, such a great player who has done such great service to BCCI, India cricket and Indian fans, should be given a grand and fabulous farewell,” he added.
He further held the selection panel responsible for the “premature” retirement of Rohit and Virat from Test cricket.
“It’s due to internal politics within the BCCI, which is hard to understand. And I think this is the reason he retired prematurely. Even Rohit Sharma retired prematurely. They were asked to go out,” said Ghavri.
“It’s not like they wanted to leave. They wanted to continue. But the selectors and BCCI had different ideas. It was a matter of some kind of petty politics,” he added.
New reports suggest the duo could also quit ODIs soon, which would ruin their chances of making the 2027 World Cup.
In ODIs, Virat Kohli has scored 14,181 runs in 302 matches at an incredible average of 57.88. His record includes 51 centuries, 74 fifties, and a highest score of 183. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has amassed 11,168 runs in 272 matches, at an average of 48.76 with 32 centuries and 59 fifties. He also holds the world record for the highest individual ODI scores – a remarkable 264.
( With NDTV Inputs )
The post Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s sudden Test retirement linked to BCCI ‘internal politics’: claims Ex-India star appeared first on Cricket Country.
