In a shocking development that has left cricket fans heartbroken, Indian batting legend Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday through an emotional Instagram post. This news comes just a week after captain Rohit Sharma hung up his boots from the longest format of the game.

Reports had been making rounds that Kohli had expressed his retirement plans to the BCCI via email. While the board reportedly asked him to reconsider, the 36-year-old stood firm on his decision, making it official today.

Kohli’s Test form had been concerning in recent years. Despite scoring a brilliant century in Perth during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia earlier this year, he struggled in the remaining matches as India suffered a crushing series defeat. His declining numbers since 2020, with only 2023 showing some improvement, likely played a role in this difficult choice.

After taking over from MS Dhoni in 2014-15, Kohli transformed Indian Test cricket dramatically. Under his leadership, India rose from seventh to become the top-ranked Test team in the world. His emphasis on Test cricket made India formidable both at home and overseas. Kohli leaves with an impressive record of 9,230 runs from 123 Tests, including 30 centuries.

With both Rohit and Kohli departing, India now faces the challenge of rebuilding their Test lineup with less experienced players for their upcoming England tour.