Sad Virat Kohli retired like this, I'd have made him Test captain: Ravi Shastri
Former India coach Ravi Shastri expressed his disappointment over the manner in which Virat Kohli retired, offering a candid assessment of how events unfolded following the tour of Australia. Shastri stressed that better communication was needed among the stakeholders of Indian cricket, adding he would have had no hesitation in appointing Kohli as Test captain ahead of the England tour.Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket in May, taking many by surprise. The former captain announced his decision in an emotional social media post midway through the IPL 2025 season.advertisement'It's when you go, that's when people will realise how big a player he was. I feel sad that he is gone, the way he's gone. I think it could have been handled better. There should have been more communication. If I had anything to do with it, I would have made him captain straight away after Australia,' Ravi Shastri told Sony Sports.
Kohli's decision came just days after Rohit Sharma called time on his own Test career. While Rohit's retirement was somewhat expected, Kohli stepping away from the format he loved most caught many off guard." , ..." - Ravi ShastriWatch 'Bharat Tum Chale Chalo, Kahani 21-22 ki' from 15th June, only on Sony LIV & Sony Sports Network TV channels pic.twitter.com/yTOdk3THzj— Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) June 11, 2025Sources told India Today that Kohli had informed the BCCI and selectors of his decision in May, and that a key board member had attempted to convince him to stay on for the England tour.advertisementNevertheless, Kohli proceeded with his retirement, sharing a heartfelt farewell message in which he explained his reasons for leaving behind the format that 'tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life'.Earlier in May, Ravi Shastri also confirmed that Kohli had spoken to him before taking the major decision regarding his Test career. Kohli finished his red-ball journey with 9,230 runs from 130 matches.India will now be without three of their biggest match-winners—Kohli, Rohit, and R Ashwin—for the upcoming tour of England, starting 20 June. The series also marks the beginning of India's new World Test Championship cycle.Shubman Gill will lead the side, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain for the five-Test series.Virat Kohli will continue to play one-day internationals for India. He retired from T20I cricket after winning the World Cup in 2024. Kohli ended his 18-year-long wait for an IPL trophy earlier this month when RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the final to win the elusive crown. You May Also Like
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