King Kohli

TEST cricket has lost one of its brightest stars with the exit of Virat Kohli. The greatest batter of his generation — and one of the all-time greats — has announced his retirement from the longest format of the game, bringing the curtains down on an era during which India consolidated its position as a cricket powerhouse. It wasn’t an easy call, coming weeks before a potentially challenging five-match Test series in England. His countless admirers are disappointed — Kohli has deprived them and himself of a grand farewell. But he is not the kind of player who would outstay his welcome. Timing it right has been his hallmark on and off the field.

It goes to Kohli’s credit that he helped Test cricket withstand the ever-growing popularity of the T20 format. The gritty batter who gave no quarter to any bowler dazzled spectators not only in India but also in Australia, England and South Africa under tough conditions. He had huge shoes to fill when icons Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid called it a day, but he did it with aplomb. His “I’m the best” swagger evoked comparisons with the peerless Vivian Richards. Kohli was virtually unstoppable in the 2010s, but his form dipped in recent years, a factor that has now prompted him to avoid becoming a liability for the team. Perhaps his only regret in Tests was to have missed out on winning the World Championship – India lost in the final twice in a row.

Kohli’s retirement comes days after the Test departure of Rohit Sharma, whose red-ball career was sadly far less impressive than his white-ball journey. Rohit’s record in Test cricket was patchy, particularly on foreign tours, but he made his presence felt with some hard-hitting centuries. The duo’s absence will be acutely felt by the team, even as young guns like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are set to take on the mantle of leadership. Any piece of advice from Kohli and Rohit would stand them in good stead.

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