Harbhajan Singh's Daughter texted Virat Kohli asking Why Did He Retire from Tests, He Replied..

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh recently opened up about a touching conversation between his daughter Hinaya and Virat Kohli after the batting legend announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this month ahead of the England tour.

Virat Kohli’s sudden decision to call time on his illustrious Test career shocked the entire cricket world. However, Kohli had been going through a dip in form, but the BCCI reportedly wanted him to travel to England for the upcoming five-match Test series.

Virat Kohli's Test retirement leaves Harbhajan Singh's daughter emotional

But despite efforts from the BCCI to make the former Indian captain reconsider his decision, the iconic batter stood firm on his decision. His announcement has not only stunned fans and the cricket world but also little Hinaya.

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Harbhajan revealed his daughter's emotional reaction to Kohli's retirement from the longest format of the game just weeks before India's Test tour of England.

The former Indian spinner shared that his daughter was deeply disappointed and asked her father why Kohli had retired. When Harbhajan didn’t have an answer, Hinaya made her father message Kohli on her behalf, and the RCB icon sent a heartfelt reply.

Beta, now it's time: Virat Kohli to Hinaya

Harbhajan Singh was quoted as saying by the Times of India, “I couldn't understand why Virat Kohli took retirement. My daughter said to me, 'Papa, why did Virat Kohli take retirement? I want to message him'."

"She wrote to Virat Kohli, saying, 'I am Hinaya. Why did you take retirement'? Her heart was affected like that. He replied with a laugh, saying, 'Beta, now it's time'.”

Kohli finished his red-ball career with a staggering 9,230 runs across 210 Test innings. He has 30 centuries and 31 fifties to his name in the format, with the highest score being an unbeaten 254.

The dashing right-handed batter didn’t just pile up runs, but he also brought passion and fire to the traditional format of the game.

At a time when Test cricket was struggling to survive, Kohli’s fierce competitiveness, on-field energy, and never-say-die attitude reignited fan interest in the format.

Before stepping away from Tests, Kohli had already bid goodbye to T20 Internationals after India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024.

Read Also: Harshit Rana gets a shocking call to India's Test squad for England 2025

Virat Kohli gears up for the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1

Now, Kohli is set to focus solely on ODI cricket, keeping the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 in mind. Virat is currently playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025, where he is among the top five run scorers with over 600 runs across 14 innings.

Currently, Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharshan holds the Orange Cap with 679 runs so far in the season.

Kohli will be seen in action on Thursday, May 29, when RCB will take on Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 in Chandigarh. T

he Eliminator will be played between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans on May 30, with the Qualifier 2 scheduled on June 1 and the final on June 3 in Ahmedabad.

On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings spinner Noor Ahmad currently holds the Purple Cap with 24 wickets, but his season is over, which opens the opportunity for Prasidh Krishna, who is just one wicket behind with 23.

With the Gujarat Titans still in the playoffs, Krishna has a strong chance to grab the Purple Cap, and he can surpass Noor in the Eliminator itself.

Read Also: Prithvi Shaw's LSG signing blocked by Justin Langer in IPL 2025 Mega Auction