Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 14: Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has expressed disappointment over Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, calling it a “premature” decision and urging the star cricketer to reconsider.
Taking to X, Akhtar wrote, “Obviously Virat knows better but as an admirer of this great player I am disappointed by his rather premature retirement from Test cricket. I think there is still a lot of cricket in him. I sincerely request him to reconsider his decision.”
Kohli announced his retirement from the longest format on Monday morning via Instagram. Reflecting on his 14-year journey in whites, Kohli wrote, “It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life… I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude.”
A Glorious Test Career
Virat Kohli’s Test career is one of Indian cricket’s finest. Since his debut in 2011 against the West Indies, he played 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. He is India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test history, behind only legends Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
His Test journey had a rocky start, but Kohli’s maiden century in Australia at Adelaide in 2012 marked the beginning of a legendary run. From 2016 to 2019, he was in peak form, amassing over 4,200 runs in 43 Tests at a staggering average of 66.79. He also holds the record for the most double centuries as a Test captain (7).
Despite a slump in the 2020s, Kohli showed flashes of brilliance in 2023, scoring 671 runs in eight Tests at an average of 55.91. His recent form, however, dipped again with just 382 runs in 10 Tests in 2024.
His final Test series came during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where he scored 190 runs in nine innings, with a century in Perth being the standout.
Kohli’s legacy includes leading India to the top of the Test rankings, memorable centuries against top bowling attacks, and redefining fitness standards for cricketers. His passionate, aggressive style and commitment to the red-ball game won him fans across the globe.
Javed Akhtar’s heartfelt plea reflects what many fans feel — a hope that India’s modern-day great might reconsider and don the whites once again.
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