Virat Kohli Set to Retire from Test Cricket Before England Tour? BCCI Urges Him to Reconsider

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In a development that has left the Indian cricketing world stunned, Virat Kohli has reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his desire to retire from Test cricket—just weeks before India’s crucial five-match Test series in England.

According to a report by The Indian Express, top BCCI officials have urged Kohli to reconsider, but the batting great is yet to respond. The timing of this possible farewell couldn’t be more dramatic. Kohli’s retirement decision comes on the heels of Rohit Sharma’s own exit from the longest format of the game.

Leaving India at a critical juncture in its red-ball transition. The selectors are set to announce the squad for the England tour soon, and the potential absence of two of India’s most iconic Test cricketers has thrown team plans into disarray.

“He has made up his mind and has informed the board that he is moving on from Test cricket. The BCCI has urged him to rethink as the crucial England tour is coming up. He is yet to revert on the request,” sources told The Indian Express.

Kohli’s Mixed Bag of a Test Run

At 36, Kohli has played 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. Once the poster boy of India’s aggression and ambition in the longest format, his output has slowed in recent years. Over the last five years, he’s managed 1,990 runs from 37 Tests with just three centuries, a far cry from the dominance he displayed in the 2010s.

The recent tour of Australia appears to have been a tipping point. Despite scoring a century in the first Test in Perth, Kohli finished the five-match series with an average of just 23.75, getting dismissed seven times to balls outside off-stump.

During an event for Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this year, he candidly admitted:

“I might not have an Australia tour again in me in four years’ time.”

“Burdening Yourself” – Kohli’s Own Struggles

Kohli further elaborated on the mental toll recent performances had taken, particularly when form deserted him during the high-pressure Australian tour.

“Once you start taking on the energy and the disappointment from the outside, then you start burdening yourself way more… And then you start thinking about things, like 'I’ve got two or three days left on this tour, I need to make an impact now’. And you start getting more desperate. That’s something I’ve surely experienced in Australia as well,” he said at the RCB event.

Kohli admitted that despite a promising start to the series, the rest didn’t pan out as expected:

“Because I got a good score in the first Test. I thought, 'right, let’s go’. There’s going to be another big series for me. It doesn’t turn out that way. For me, it’s just about the acceptance of 'okay fine, this is what happened. I’m going to be honest with myself. Where do I want to go? What are my energy levels like’.”

A Fragile Future Without Kohli and Rohit

Should Kohli follow through on his plan to step away, India’s Test middle-order will look unusually green, featuring the likes of KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant. All talented, no doubt, but light on experience compared to the stalwarts who’ve guided India over the past decade.

Between them, Kohli and Rohit have led the Indian Test side since 2014. While Rohit took over from Kohli in February 2022, it was under Kohli that India experienced a golden era, including series wins in Australia and a stint at the top of the ICC Test rankings.

Now, that leadership vacuum is staring Indian cricket straight in the face.

Gill as Captain? A Risky Yet Symbolic Move

With Rohit out and Kohli possibly done, the selectors are reportedly eyeing a younger captain to helm India’s new Test cycle. Sources indicate Shubman Gill, despite inconsistent red-ball returns, is the frontrunner to take over. His leadership potential has been quietly nurtured, but whether he’s ready to steer a five-Test tour in England is up for debate.

If Kohli doesn’t reverse his decision, the spotlight will fall on KL Rahul and Pant as the senior-most voices in the middle-order. A new era may dawn faster than anyone had anticipated.

Signs Were Always There

Kohli’s decision to retire from T20 internationals came after India’s triumphant run at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Even then, fans sensed the winds of change. His resurgence in IPL 2025—with 505 runs from 11 matches at a strike rate of 143.46—hinted that he might still have fuel left in the tank, but perhaps not for the rigours of Test cricket.

Speaking to the crowd at the RCB event, he credited a candid conversation with Rahul Dravid for helping him reflect on what lay ahead:

“It pretty much comes down to just the pure joy and enjoyment and love for the game. And as long as that love is intact, I will continue to play the game. I have to be honest about that with myself.”

He added:

“(Dravid) said my competitive streak would not allow me to accept it. Maybe one more. Maybe six more months, whatever. So, I think it’s a fine balance. And you have to just pray and hope that you get clarity when it comes.”