Virat Kohli announced his immediate retirement from Test (red-ball) cricket on May 12, 2025. The announcement was made via his Instagram.
He made this decision known in May 12, ahead of the upcoming five-Test series against England starting June 20, 2025. Kohli’s retirement would mark the end of a distinguished 14-year Test career, during which he played 123 matches, scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, and made 30 centuries. He is also India’s most successful Test captain, having won 40 out of 68 Tests as captain.
Achievements in Test Cricket
Batting Milestones
- Runs and Matches: Virat Kohli has scored 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches for India, averaging 46.85.
- Centuries: He has 30 Test centuries, including 7 double centuries, making him the Indian with the most double hundreds as captain and the first Indian batter to score seven double centuries in Tests.
- High Score: His highest Test score is 254 not out.
- Consistency Abroad: Kohli holds the record for the most Test centuries by an Indian in Australia (7 as of 2024).
Captaincy Records
- Most Successful Indian Test Captain: Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain, surpassing MS Dhoni with more than 27 wins. He captained India in 68 Tests, the most by any Indian captain.
- Historic Series Wins: Under his leadership, India won its first-ever Test series in Australia in 2018-19, a landmark achievement for Indian cricket.
- Winning Streak: India, under Kohli, equaled Australia’s record for nine consecutive Test series wins.
Notable Series and Individual Performances
- 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Kohli scored 692 runs in the series, including four centuries and a half-century in eight innings, becoming the leading run-scorer for India in that series.
- 2017 Run-Scoring Feat: Scored 610 runs in a single series, the highest by an Indian in a three-match Test series.
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Awards and Recognition
- ICC World Test XI Captain: Named captain of the ICC World Test XI in 2017 and 2018.
- World Number One: Became the number one ranked Test batsman in 2018, the only Indian to be ranked number one in all three formats.
Other Noteworthy Achievements
- Chasing 10,000 Runs: Kohli publicly stated his goal to reach 10,000 Test runs, a target he is close to but has not yet achieved.
- Player of the Series: Known for several Player of the Series awards due to his consistent performances in Tests around the world.
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Virat Kohli’s Most Popular Test Innings
149 vs England, Edgbaston, 2018 – Kohli’s maiden Test century in England is often cited as his most iconic innings. Facing relentless scrutiny after a poor 2014 tour, he walked in at 54/2 against a potent attack led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Kohli weathered the storm, farming the strike with the tail and single-handedly kept India in the game with a masterful 149. His knock included 22 boundaries and a six, blending patience with aggression. Though India lost by 31 runs, this innings was hailed as one of the greatest overseas centuries by an Indian batter and silenced his critics in England.
Summary Table: Kohli’s Test Cricket Achievements
| Achievements | Statistic/Record |
| Test Runs | 9,230 |
| Test Matches | 123 |
| Test Centuries | 30 (including 7 double centuries) |
| Highest Test Score | 254* |
| Most Test Centuries in Australia | 7 |
| Most Successful Indian Test Captain | 40+ wins |
| First Indian Captain to Win in Australia | 2018-19 Series |
| ICC World Test XI Captain | 2017, 2018 |
| Most Double Hundreds as Indian Captain | 7 |
He Wrote “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.
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.
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.
#269, signing off.
” in his Instagram story.
Virat Kohli’s Test career is marked by prolific run-scoring, historic captaincy achievements, and a reputation for excelling in challenging overseas conditions.
