Delhi Ranji coach Sarandeep Singh shows surprise over Virat Kohli's Test retirement, says 'he was preparing for England tour'
Virat Kohli.
New Delhi: Delhi's Ranji cricket coach, Sarandeep Singh, expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket, contrasting it with his expectations following Kohli's recent Ranji Trophy participation. Kohli's Test career concluded after 123 matches, leaving him just short of 10,000 runs. He retires as India's fourth highest Test run-scorer.
On JioCinema, Singh stated that Virat Kohli's announcement regarding his departure surprised him, despite recent speculation. 'This morning when I heard this news that Virat Kohli has announced his retirement. This was a big surprise for me,' explained Singh. 'And as far as we were talking about the Delhi Ranji Trophy, the way he was playing the matches, 4-5 days before that, we started talking to him about the matches he wants to play. He showed his involvement.'
According to Singh, Kohli's subdued performance in Australia created pressure, suggesting increased motivation for the upcoming England tour in June and July.
'The way he started his preparation for the red ball, he was talking about how the Australia tour would have been, but he was preparing for the England tour, how we would win the Test match. But suddenly, now we see that the person who was ready to go to England will not be going to England. That announcement that has been made today, I think everyone is shocked,' explained the Delhi coach.
'I didn't even get to hear it from him. I was talking to him a few days ago, I was talking to him on messages, but I didn't get any such intention that he is thinking about something like this,' explained Singh. 'And the way he is going to the IPL, he is making runs and is in great form.'
Kohli's intense training regimen, which included participation in India A's tour matches, suggests he was meticulously preparing for the upcoming England tour, commencing June 20th in Leeds. Singh highlighted this focused preparation.
'I had asked him if he would play county cricket after this. He said, no, brother, I want to play matches for India A. He said he would play two matches for India A, and then I will prepare for the Test match. He said he wants to score 3-4 hundreds, just like the 2018 tour,' explained Singh. 'So he was planning to play for India A. But suddenly, I heard that he was not playing. This is surprising.'
Virat Kohli will focus solely on One Day International (ODI) cricket for India, following his 2024 T20I retirement announcement. Prior to that, he will prioritize leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their pursuit of an IPL championship.
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