On July 9, 2025, Virat Kohli publicly addressed his retirement from Test cricket for the first time at a charity event hosted by Yuvraj Singh in London.
Virat Kohli Opens Up for the First Time After Announcing Test Retirement
Almost two months after announcing his retirement from Test cricket, legendary Indian cricketer Virat Kohli spoke about the decision for the first time on July 9, 2025. At an event organized by former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh in London to raise funds for the YouWeCan Foundation, many cricketing icons, including the current Indian team, were present. Kohli hinted at the end of his illustrious Test career with a reference to the color of his beard.
“I just colored my beard two days ago. You know it’s time when you’re coloring your beard every four days,” Kohli said when Gaurav Kapur invited him to join Yuvraj Singh, Ravi Shastri, Kevin Pietersen, Chris Gayle, and Darren Gough on stage.
On May 12, Kohli took to Instagram to announce his retirement from Test cricket, a format he had passionately supported throughout his career. “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.”
Virat Kohli’s Glorious Test Career and His Heartfelt Return to the Cricketing Spotlight
Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket after an illustrious career spanning 123 matches, during which he amassed 9,230 runs from 210 innings at an impressive average of 46.85 and a strike rate of 55.58. He scored 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, including seven double hundreds—the most by any Indian—with a highest score of 254. Kohli also struck 1,027 fours and 30 sixes in Test cricket. A key figure in India’s overseas successes, he became the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia during 2018–19.
Kohli announced his retirement just five days after captain Rohit Sharma stepped away from red-ball cricket. Since then, Kohli remained silent on cricketing matters until recently when he broke his hiatus by congratulating the new India Test captain Shubman Gill for his record-breaking 269-run innings against England in the second Test. Calling Gill a “star boy,” Kohli wished him success in his captaincy. He also expressed his happiness over India’s emphatic 336-run victory to level the five-match series. Alongside his wife Anushka Sharma, Kohli was also seen attending a Wimbledon round of 16 men’s singles match between Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur.
At the event, Kohli appeared in a cheerful mood, reconnecting with former teammates and even opponents like Kevin Pietersen. He also spoke fondly about his close bond with Yuvraj Singh, with whom he won the 2011 ODI World Cup.
“We shared a very good bond both on and off the field. I met him for the first time during a North Zone tournament in Bangalore. When I started playing for India, him, Bhajju pa and Zaheer Khan took me under their wings. They really helped me grow as a player and made me comfortable in the dressing room. A lot of fun times off the field and made me aware of the lifestyle of getting to the top. These are the bonds I will cherish for the rest of my life. Watching him in the World Cup was very special and what we got to know after that was a shock. Being so close to him… we had no idea. Then his battle with cancer and again the champion that he is… coming on top and making a comeback to the team when I was leading the team.”
