“Deserved a better send-off” - Former India cricketers makes startling statement on Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025. With this his Test career came to an end and in 2024, right after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 he bud adieu to T20 format too. He is only active in one format, which is ODI and fans were not ready to see one of the best Test captains of Indian team leave the longest format so soon.

Joining the bandwagon of well wishers who were not ready to see Kohli put a full stop to the glorious Test career soon is former India cricketer, Krishnamachary Srikkanth. While talking about Kohli’s retirement, Srikkanth said that the legend deserved a better send off. He also added that India will find it difficult to get another Virat Kohli.

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“Virat Kohli's Test retirement happened just like that. Virat Kohli deserved a better send-off. He still had two years of Test cricket left in him. But because we drew in England, such talks about him got shut off. However, India will find it difficult to get a cricketer like Virat Kohli for some time. They should have spoken to him, this is not a good look for the game and Indian cricket,” said Srikkanth.

Virat Kohli’s major Test cricket records:

• 9,230 Test runs – fourth-highest total by an Indian

• 30 Test centuries – 16th globally, fourth among Indians

• 7 double-centuries – most by any Indian batsman

• 40 Test wins as captain – most by an Indian skipper

• Highest Test score as India captain – 254* vs South Africa

• Twin centuries on captaincy debut – first Indian captain to score hundreds in both innings of first Test as captain

• Three double-centuries in a calendar year (2016) – first Indian to achieve this

• Led India to nine consecutive Test series wins (2015–2017) – joint world record

• Only captain to score seven double centuries in Tests

• Most runs as India Test captain – 5,864 runs in 68 Tests, average 54.80

• Only Indian to score seven Test centuries in Australia

• Four centuries in a single overseas Test series (Australia 2014/15)

• Highest run-tally by an Indian in a single home season – 1059 runs in 2016/17

• Double centuries in four consecutive Test series

• Highest ICC Test batting rating points for an Indian – 937 (2018)

• Finished 12th highest run-getter in World Test Championship history (2617 runs)

• Most runs by an Indian Test batter in calendar years: 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023