Sunil Chhetri on Virat Kohli’s Retirement: “He Chose Peace, and That’s What Matters”

Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri has expressed heartfelt support for Virat Kohli following the cricketing star's surprise decision to retire from Test cricket.

Kohli, who announced his retirement on May 12 after playing 123 Tests for India, received praise from his longtime friend and fellow Bengaluru sporting legend.

Chhetri, who recently returned to the Indian football team after stepping away temporarily, acknowledged that Kohli's choice came as no shock to him. "I'm not actually surprised at the decision. But knowing that he's at peace, I'm happy for him," said Chhetri in a conversation with Star Sports.

The bond between the two sportsmen is well known, with both having carried the hopes of Bengaluru's sporting faithful over the years-Chhetri with Bengaluru FC and Kohli with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Speaking about Kohli's attachment to the longest format of the game, Chhetri reflected, "Knowing Virat, he must have taken a lot of time to call it off. Especially Test cricket. Even with my knowledge, I know and you know how much he loves playing Test matches. So, for him to call it a day, even at his peak, especially when you have fans who'll urge him to keep playing for another year or so, it's big. For him to call 'Alvida' to the format he loves the most, it must have been difficult for him."

The decision has sparked widespread debate across the sporting community, with some questioning whether recent form in red-ball cricket played a role. Chhetri, however, offered a broader and more human perspective.

"After a point in time, you start questioning yourself about whether you're maintaining a certain balance in life: with your sporting career and your family. That becomes important, asking yourself whether the sacrifice is worth it," he explained.

He further dismissed the idea that performance was the sole reason behind Kohli's retirement, highlighting his continued brilliance in white-ball cricket. "If you're going to look at only performance as the factor for retirement, then there would be no need for Virat to retire now. Just look at the way he plays (in the IPL). The other day, when I went to watch RCB vs CSK, he was outstanding. He wanted to be on the field, and he wanted to win. So, there would be no reason for him to retire because of his performance."

Chhetri wrapped up by underscoring how deeply personal such decisions are for elite athletes. "So, it's not only his performance, but a lot of other things that come into play, which only he knows of. And the worst part is, only he can calculate it. He had to make his decision, and he did," he said.