Chandigarh, May 11: In an emotional letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), former India batter Ambati Rayudu asked Virat Kohli to continue playing Test cricket after reports surfaced that the modern-day legend had decided to quit. Two days after his longtime teammate Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, speculation about Kohli’s departure began circulating on Saturday. This comes just over a month before India starts their ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 campaign with five crucial Test matches against England at Headingley beginning June 20.
Rayudu’s Plea to Kohli
Rayudu advised Kohli to hold off and reconsider his retirement decision. The 39-year-old cricketer believes Kohli has “much more” left in him and stressed that Test cricket wouldn’t be the same without him representing India.
“Please don’t retire, Virat Kohli. You are more important than ever to the Indian squad. You’re capable of so much more. If you don’t go out and fight for Team India, Test cricket won’t be the same. Kindly think again,” Rayudu posted on X.
Kohli’s Legacy in Test Cricket
Reports suggest Kohli has been discussing his retirement decision with the BCCI for the past month. If he chooses to retire, it would mark the end of an extraordinary 14-year career in the format, where he has scored 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries. As captain, Kohli led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, making him India’s most successful Test captain.
Kohli Among Few Senior Players Left
Last year, during the Australia tour, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement, joining Rohit in stepping away from international cricket. With Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara out of the lineup for a while and Mohammed Shami struggling with form after injuries, Kohli is one of the few remaining senior figures in the squad alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.
Recent Form Raises Questions
The highlight of Kohli’s most recent Test match was his century at Perth, but he struggled during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia from November to January, scoring just 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. Before that, his last century came against West Indies in Port of Spain in July 2023.
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