The announcement came just days ahead of the expected unveiling of India’s squad for the upcoming five-Test series against England.
Kohli, 36, informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his decision in advance, after reportedly holding discussions with officials for over a month regarding his future in the longest format.
Sharing the news ina social media post on Monday morning, Kohli reflected on his journey in Test cricket:
"It s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I ll carry for life," Kohli said.
"There s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever," he added.
“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. I m walking away with a heart full of gratitude—for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I ll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” he added.
Kohli retires after playing 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 29 centuries and 29 fifties.
Also Read: PSL 10 will resume after Pakistan-India ceasefire?
As captain, he led India in 68 Tests, winning 40, making him the country s most successful Test skipper and placing him fourth on the all-time global list of Test captains by wins, behind Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh.
He made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies and notched his maiden century in Adelaide during the 2011–12 tour of Australia. From a shaky start to one of the most dominant phases in Indian batting history, Kohli s rise was defined by grit and intensity.
Between 2016 and 2018, he enjoyed an extraordinary run, scoring 3,596 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 66.59, with 14 hundreds. His performance on the 2018 England tour—scoring 583 runs at 59.30—remains one of his defining moments.
