Virat Kohli's retirement will forever be a mystery thanks to Gautam Gambhir's nasty politics- India teammate

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has opened up about Virat Kohli’s Test retirement, adding that the star batter may have felt unwanted in the team. Tiwary stated that Kohli is unlikely to reveal the reasons behind his decision, as he would prefer to move on rather than discuss what happened behind the scenes.

Virat Kohli decided to retire from Test cricket in May 2025, just before the England series. He struggled for runs in Australia after scoring a hundred in the first Test of the BGT 2024-25. The batter played for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy against Railways, which was his first domestic match in over a decade.

Don’t Think Virat Kohli Will Ever Come Forward and Say It - Manoj Tiwary

Speaking to CricTracker, Manoj Tiwary said that Virat Kohli might have retired from Test cricket after feeling sidelined within the team. Tiwary stated that Kohli has become more spiritual and prefers to stay focused on the present.

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“I don't know what happened. What is the story behind the scenes? I think he was not feeling like he was wanted in Team India. Only he can say. I think he will not come out and ever say this thing in public forum because the human he has become, he has evolved as a human being, I think he is very happy with what God has given to him," Tiwary said.

"He is becoming spiritual as well. When someone becomes spiritual, they just leave all these things aside and focus on the present. They don’t want to talk about the past. He has evolved as a human being; I don’t think he will come forward and ever say what has happened behind the scenes,” he added.

Virat Kohli Could Have Easily Played for Another Three Years - Manoj Tiwary

Manoj Tiwary stated that Virat Kohli’s Test retirement was a shock to fans given his fitness and preparation for the upcoming England series. Tiwary added Kohli still had at least three to four years of red-ball cricket left in him and could have played in the England series.

"He could have easily played for another three years minimum and four years. It was very surprising and shocking for all the cricket fans, including me as well, because all we knew that he's so physically fit and he was preparing himself for the England series," Tiwary said.

Virat Kohli Next to Be Seen in Action During Australia Tour

Virat Kohli ended his Test career in May 2025. He finished as the fourth leading run-getter for India in the format, amassing 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and seven double tons.

The 36-year-old also retired from T20Is following India’s 2024 World Cup triumph. India will play their next 50-over challenge against Australia in a three-match series, starting on October 19 in Perth.

The right-handed batter has scored 2,451 runs in 48 innings against Australia at an average of 54.46, with eight centuries and 15 fifties. Ahead of the tour, he was spotted training in the nets at Lord’s and interacting with fans.

The batting star last played a competitive match in IPL 2025, where he finished as the leading run-getter for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with 657 runs in 15 innings. He played a key role in guiding the franchise to its maiden title.

Also read: Ex-South Africa captain revokes retirement from international cricket ahead of World Cup