'Virat Kohli is not going to retire from Tests': Brian Lara wants BCCI to persuade; 'He'll average 60'

Hindustan Times

11-05-2025

Amid the growing reports of Virat Kohli's possible Test retirement ahead of the upcoming England tour, former West Indies captain and legendary batter Brian Lara has stated that the former India captain is going nowhere and he will be 'persuaded' not to leave the longest format of the game. Brian Lara, who holds the record for scoring the most runs in a single Test innings (400 not out against England) also stated that the longest format of the game needs a character like Virat Kohli.
Lara also made a bold prediction, saying Kohli will average 60 for the remainder of his Test career. On Saturday, several reports emerged stating that Kohli has had a chat with the BCCI top brass, informing them that he no longer wants to play Tests.
The reports also stated that the BCCI officials are now trying their best to persuade Kohli to sign up for the upcoming five-match series against England, beginning June 20.
Kohli has been having a torrid time in Tests, scoring just four centuries in the last five years. The batter kept on being dismissed in a similar fashion in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and his numbers were below par, having scored just 190 runs in nine innings.
However, Lara expects Kohli to change the fortunes around and come out stronger in Tests.
'Test cricket needs Virat!! He is going to be persuaded. He is NOT going to retire from Test cricket. @virat.kohli is going to average above 60 for the remainder of his Test career. #testcricket #thebest,' Brian Lara wrote on Instagram.
A post shared by Brian Lara (@brianlaraofficial)
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli managed just 190 runs in nine innings, including one century. The batter kept fishing outside the off stump as he constantly lost his wicket to the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc.
Before the start of the IPL, Kohli had confirmed that he had played his last Test in Australia. 'If you ask me the intensity of how disappointed I've been... for me the most recent Australia tour would be the one that's most fresh. So, it might feel the most intense to me. But I can't look at it that way. I might not have an Australia tour again in me in four years' time,' said Kohli.
'I don't have the chance to correct it. So you have to make peace with whatever's happened in your life. Like in 2014 (against England) I still had the chance to go in 2018 and do what I did. It might not have been the case,' he added.
Kohli, whose prime years in Tests were from 2014-2019 in Tests, has seen his Test average fall down from the high 50s to 46. This is primarily due to his poor return in the format in the last five years.
Kohli has so far played 123 Tests and he is yet to breach the 10,000 run mark. Out of these 123, Kohli led India in 68 games. He is the most successful Indian Test captain ever.