Virat Kohli feared being thrown out of ODIs too!! Real reason behind Ugly Test Retirement OUT!!

Ace batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, just weeks before the highly anticipated five-match Test series against England. Speculation has grown over the possible reasons behind his exit, with some stating that Kohli may have feared being dropped from the Indian Test side.

Several Indian cricketers, including VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, ended their Test careers with matches in Australia. While none of them officially announced their retirements at the time, it was believed that the BCCI had forced them to step down to avoid being dropped.

Fear of Humiliation the Reason Behind Virat Kohli’s Test Exit?

Virat Kohli decided to retire from Test cricket on his terms. He was concerned that a poor performance during the upcoming England series might lead to him being dropped. Kohli decided to step away before the team management could take any action against him.

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A senior BCCI official noted that Kohli’s status as a leading cricket star meant he deserved respect, and if he failed in England, critics would have called for his retirement regardless.

“Virat is the biggest star of the current generation of cricketers, and he can’t be seen treated with disregard. If he did not score runs for India in England, the entire anti-Virat entourage would speak about his poor form and would even demand his Test retirement,” a top BCCI official told CricBlogger.

Virat Kohli’s Batting Form in Tests Dipped After COVID-19 Pandemic

The Delhi cricketer experienced a challenging tour in England in 2014 but made a comeback during the 2018 and 2021 series. He was close to becoming the only Indian captain to win Test matches in both Australia and England, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted these plans and stalled his progress.

From 2020 onwards, Kohli’s performance declined, as he averaged just 30.72 in his last 39 Tests, with only three centuries in 69 innings. His overall Test average dropped from the mid-50s in the 2010s to 46.85 by the end of his career.

Kohli finished as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, scoring 9,230 runs in 210 innings at an average of 46.85. He led India in 68 Tests between 2014 and 2022, guiding the team to 40 victories.

RCB Will Hope for Virat Kohli to Maintain Form in IPL 2025

Before the IPL 2025 season was suspended on May 9, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were on a four-match winning streak. Virat Kohli has been a key player this season, amassing 505 runs in 11 games at an impressive average of 63.12 and a strike rate of 143.46, with seven half-centuries.

RCB’s recent game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru on Saturday was abandoned due to rain. The team has won eight out of 12 matches. They are at the top of the points table with 17 points.

RCB will be eager to win their remaining two matches to finish in the top 2. However, the absence of important players like Josh Hazlewood, their leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets in 10 matches, could impact their performance.

Also read: Sourav Ganguly gets involved in BCCI operations again