Virat Kohli retires: Former Team India coach reveals conversation with star batter before his Test retirement
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri
Former India cricket coach Ravi Shastri has disclosed details of his conversation with Virat
Kohli
before the latter's unexpected Test retirement announcement on Monday, May 12. Kohli, who ranks as India's fourth-highest Test run-scorer with 9230 runs and 30 centuries, made this decision despite an upcoming five-Test series against England in June.
Shastri and Kohli, who formed one of India's most successful captain-coach partnerships in Test cricket, had discussed the retirement decision a week before the public announcement.
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"I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that and his mind was very clear that he'd given us everything. There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that's a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, 'Yes, the time is right'. The mind has told his body that it's time to go," Shastri told Sanjana Ganesan in The
ICC
Review.
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Kohli leaves behind a remarkable legacy as India's most successful Test captain, securing 40 wins in 68 Tests, surpassing MS Dhoni's record by 13 victories.
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Shastri acknowledged that Kohli's intense approach to the game may have contributed to his early retirement.
"If he decided to do something, then he gave his 100%, which is not easy to match. Individually, as a bowler, as a batsman. A player does his job, then you sit back. But when the team goes out, it's as if he has to take all the wickets, he has to take all the catches, he has to make all the decisions on the field. That much involvement, I would think there's going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn't take a rest, if he doesn't compartmentalise how much he wants to play across formats, there is bound to be a burnout."
Shastri highlighted Kohli's global impact and his ability to draw audiences to the sport.
"He's got accolades around the globe. He has a bigger following than any other cricketer in the last decade. Whether it's Australia, whether it's South Africa, he just got people to watch the game. There was a love-hate relationship. They would get angry because he had the ability to get under the skin of the viewer also. In the way he celebrated, you know his intensity was such that it was like a rash. It spread very quickly, not just within the dressing room, but within living rooms as well for people watching cricket. So he was an infectious personality."
Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket after 14 years
The retirement announcement caught Shastri off guard, despite understanding the mental toll of the game.
"Virat surprised me because I thought he had at least two-three years of Test match cricket left in him. But then, when you're mentally fried and overcooked, that's what tells your body. You might be physically the fittest guy in the business. You might be fitter than half the guys in your team, but mentally you're well done, as they say, then it sends a message to the body. You know, that's it."
The Shastri-Kohli partnership led India to several historic achievements, including their first Test series victory in Australia, consecutive series wins in the West Indies, and breaking a 22-year winless streak in Sri Lanka. The team also showed strong performance in challenging conditions in South Africa and England.
Explained: Why Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket
Shastri emphasized that Kohli had achieved everything possible in his career.
"At times when you quit the game, you know, and after a month or two months you say, 'I wish I had done this, I wish I had done this.' He's done everything. He's captained sides, he's won World Cups, he's won an Under-19 World Cup himself. I mean, there's nothing for him to achieve."
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