Virat Kohli's Test Span elongated by 2 years

Former Team India opener Virender Sehwag has shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket ahead of the England tour. Sehwag stated that Kohli could have played another couple of years in the longer format of the game, given his exceptional fitness and commitment.

Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli shared the Indian dressing room from 2008 to 2013, including the 2011 ODI World Cup victory. Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket last week shocked fans and experts alike. The 36-year-old scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties.

Virat Kohli Scored 43 off 25 Balls Against SRH in IPL 2025 Clash

Virat Kohli scored 43 runs off 25 balls, including seven fours and one six, against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, May 23. However, the Bengaluru-based team failed to chase down the target of 232 runs, getting bowled out for 189 in 19.5 overs.

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Jitesh took over the captaincy for RCB, as regular skipper Rajat Patidar was struggling with an injury and featured only as the Impact substitute. Jitesh scored 24 off 15 balls, but his dismissal triggered a collapse, with RCB losing their last five wickets for just 15 runs, suffering a 42-run defeat.

Only Virat Kohli Can Explain His Retirement Decision - Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag said that Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket too soon. Sehwag believes Kohli has at least a couple more years left in him at the international level. He also pointed out that the decision to retire is a personal one.

“Definitely. I feel he retired too early from the Test format. He could've played easily for two years, the way he maintains fitness. But only Virat Kohli can tell the reasons behind the decision. It's a player's personal decision based on his will, or whether he feels exhausted,” Sehwag said.

“But according to me, the way he played, and the way he showed energy, it feels he could've easily played for two years,” he added.

Can RCB Still Secure a Top-Two Spot in the IPL 2025 Points Table?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru still have a chance to secure a top-two finish in the IPL 2025 points table despite their loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. To stay in contention for a top-two finish in the standings, RCB must win their final group match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to reach 19 points.

RCB will need Gujarat Titans (GT) to lose their last game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Punjab Kings (PBKS) to lose one or both of their remaining matches. If RCB wins and PBKS loses just one of their last two games, both teams will reach 19 points, and their net run rates will become crucial.

It’s also worth mentioning that since the playoff format began 14 years ago, only once has a team finishing outside the top two gone on to win the IPL title.

Also read: Shubman Gill or Jasprit Bumran? Gautam Gambhir reveals India’s new Test captain