Virat Kohli announces Test retirement, RCB react with Viral Emojis and Emotional Post

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Virat Kohli has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, concluding a remarkable 14-year career that redefined the standards of Indian cricket.

The 36-year-old made the announcement just weeks before India's upcoming tour of England, stating, "I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off".

The emotional social media post confirmed Kohli's departure from the Red Ball format, which has created a massive void in India's cricketing equilibrium. A few days ago, captain Rohit Sharma also called it quits on his Test career, and now Kohli's retirement makes it tougher.

Initially, there were reports suggesting that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) urged Kohli to reconsider his decision. But Kohli announced it through Instagram on Monday.

"As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for," Kohli's post wrote.

In recent years, Kohli's performance in Test cricket has experienced a decline. During India's last Test series against Australia, he averaged 23.75 over five matches. Despite this, his prowess in limited-overs formats remains evident, with a strong showing in the IPL, amassing 505 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 143.46.

And after Kohli's announcement, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, his IPL team reacted on social media. Amid the poignant moment, RCB's post on Kohli has gone viral, where they used just two emojis with a great significance.

RCB used the emojis of a Crown, followed by a Heartbreak symbol - depicting the sadness after the departure of the 'King', as the India stalwart is fondly known.

Later, the franchise posted an iconic video of Kohli walking to the crease, with an emotional caption which wrote -

"The walk, Those shots, Those expressions, Those celebrations. We'll miss them all. We'll miss them all."

With Kohli's retirement, India will have to find replacements for the two stalwarts for the upcoming England series. As per reports, BCCI is looking to appoint Shubman Gill as captain for the series.