Virat Kohli Says No To Test Retirement

Virat Kohli will not retire from Test cricket and will travel to England with the Indian team. If reports are to be believed, the BCCI has succeeded in changing the mind of the ace batter, especially after the recent retirement of Rohit Sharma ahead of the important assignment.

Recently, it was reported that Virat Kohli had asked the BCCI not to consider him for the five-Test tour in England in June-August 2025. He stated that he was retiring from Test cricket and wanted a more sombre workload in the twilight of his illustrious career.

Virat's Test career in numbers: recent struggles

In the Tests, Kohli has undoubtedly outperformed many. He has significantly benefited the team in this style. In 122 games played in the game's longest format, the hitter has hammered 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85.

But he has been having a terrible problem scoring runs regularly over the past few years. With just three hundreds and 1,990 runs in 37 games, his average has drastically dropped and is much below his expectations. His most recent appearance in whites was at the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he scored 190 runs in 5 Tests, including 100* in the first Test in Perth.

Virat Kohli changes mind, set to travel with Team India for England Test tour

A significant announcement on Virat Kohli's availability for the forthcoming England tour would undoubtedly brighten the day for Indian cricket fans amid the mounting clamour over his Test retirement.

Virat will be traveling to England with the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming Test series, according to a News24 report. Millions of supporters have been relieved and delighted by this announcement after days of anxiety regarding his international future.

As India prepares to start a new ICC World Test Championship cycle (WTC 2027) with the forthcoming five-match Test series in England, Kohli is anticipated to be a major player. It appears that the BCCI was able to persuade Kohli to keep playing for India in whites.

“One Last Time, Champ Will Be On Flight To England With Team India. Virat Kohli Not Finished,” Vibhu Bhola, News24 journo posted on X.

One Last Time ❤️

Champ Will Be On Flight To England With Team India.

Virat Kohli Not Finished ✅ pic.twitter.com/J6GP2XB2Gl

— Vaibhav Bhola 🇮🇳 (@VibhuBhola) May 11, 2025

BCCI pick replacements for Kohli if he does retire from Tests

The Indian XI for the Test series against the England National Cricket Team would be severely lacking Virat. The batting order will become quite precarious as a result, and the selectors will undoubtedly have a terrible time finding a substitute.

According to information obtained, the BCCI may consider Karun Nair or Shreyas Iyer for the team's fourth position. Both hitters are expected to be selected for the five-match Test series because of their outstanding batting performances in the local circuit.

Additionally, Rajat Patidar is probably going to take Sarfaraz Khan's place in the Test squad.

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir Kicked Out Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma From India’s Test Side? Report Drops Bombshell