Despite his lean patch, Virat Kohli isn’t ready to retire from Test cricket. The former Indian captain left the shortest format of the game, T20Is, last year after the Indian cricket team lifted the T20 World Cup in Barbados. But Kohli still has the desire to play red-ball cricket for Team India.
Virat Kohli unwilling to retire from Test cricket
According to a PTI report, Kohli isn’t in a mood to leave Test cricket just yet. Over the last couple of years, his returns have been slim, and head coach Gautam Gambhir has already hinted towards a transition taking place. Some may say it even started with Ravichandran Ashwin announcing his retirement midway through the India vs Australia Test series and captain Rohit Sharma benching himself due to poor form. But Kohli wishes to continue.
Lack of domestic red-ball cricket
However, the selectors aren’t so keen on Kohli continuing. His performance is for everyone to see, and his unwillingness to play domestic red-ball cricket is also something that has been pointed out. Last year, both Kohli and Rohit Sharma had the chance to play in the Duleep Trophy.
Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul were among those who were featured, but the senior pros decided against it. Since then, they have failed at every step of the way. The selectors feel it’s tough to select either of them based on form in white-ball cricket, i.e., the Indian Premier League (IPL) or other ODI tournaments they play for Team India.
IPL performance doesn’t amount to India Test squad call-up for England
This means there is a chance that neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit Sharma will announce their retirement from Test cricket, but both of them might be ignored when the squad for the India tour of England is announced. The 5-match Test series kicks off on June 20, and the IPL 2025 season will end just 25 days before the Test tour starts.
Kohli hasn’t played in the Ranji Trophy since 2012 but has the chance to do so this January when the 2024-25 season resumes. Rohit Sharma too hasn’t featured since the 2015-16 edition. Since they can’t play in County Cricket due to the clash with the IPL, they might have to play the lead-up India A matches for the England tour. But the selectors might just move ahead without them.
“It would be very hard for selectors to pick either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli on the basis of IPL performance or form. There has to be some red-ball cricket for them in the lead-up to the England tour. Else you can’t justify their selections,” a former selector told PTI.
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