Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket came as a surprise to many but former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey thinks Kohli probably knew it was time to move on. Kohli who is 36 now retired from Tests just a few days after Rohit Sharma announced his own retirement from the format.
Mhambrey feels both Kohli and Rohit knew they were struggling in Tests and that meant they didn’t have much left to give. Kohli’s Test average has gone below 50 in recent years and his issues with balls outside off-stump were pretty obvious. Rohit faced his own challenges, he even sat out the fifth Test during India’s 2024-25 tour of Australia which they lost.
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Mhambrey said, “Virat didn’t have five years of Test cricket left in him… Both of them must have realized it was time. He also mentioned how they value their contributions but might not have felt motivated to play Tests anymore. “They won’t be able to give their best to that format and that’s a very selfless approach,” he added.
Now with Kohli and Rohit retiring from Tests and T20Is they will still play ODIs with the 2027 World Cup in their sights. As someone who was part of India’s T20 World Cup winning team Mhambrey feels their retirement will let them focus on one format where they can still be valuable. “If I’m not 100% I’d rather say, ‘I’m good in one format. Let me focus on the other,’” he said.
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From Friday the Indian team will start a new chapter without these two batting legends in England with new captain Shubman Gill and his vice-captain Rishabh Pant.
