When Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket on May 12, it was the end of an illustrious era in Indian cricket. The coin was a shock to many who learnt of it, though it is understood that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was informed about it weeks ago. But fans and players were forced into processing the abrupt departure of a colossus from the longest form of the game.
Kohli’s Test Legacy
“What Virat Kohli has done for Indian Test cricket is also crazy. He scored more than 8,800 runs in 113 Tests at an average close to 50 and hit 29 hundreds. More than the stats, Kohli transformed the way India looked at Test cricket. His leadership has infused a penchant for brashness and a passion for fitness among much of the aggressive and results-focused culture of a game that many thought was growing tired.
Under his captaincy India has inaugurated a march, won historic series in Australia (2018-19), reckoned a player in South Africa and England and been inviolable at home. He also played no small part in the popularisation of the World Test Championship, approaching every match as a final.
The Vacuum Left Behind
Kohli’s retirement comes just weeks after Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, leaving a leadership void. With India scheduled to play a five-Test series in England from June 20, all national selectors would now need to take a decision for appointing a new leader for the side along with a player who can lead the next generation of the team.
Then there is the No 4 slot, originally held by anchorman Kohli, which must have a handy replacement. Newcomers would of course also be asked to shoulder the burden, with Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (provided he is fit), and perhaps a surprise inclusion,ashasvi JaJaiswal,hrown into the mix as well.
A Change in the Culture of Indian Cricket
The departure of Kohli means more than a mere changing of the guard — it heralds a cultural shift. He stood for aggression, celebrated wickets like a fast bowler, and never stepped back from a confrontation. In doing so, he persuaded a generation that Indian cricket was capable not simply of matching its internationalcompetitors but of overwhelming them.
The question now is whether India will maintain that same edge in his absence or shift towards a slightly more composed style under new leadership.
Final Word
Kohli’s Test exit is a bit like putting down the curtain on a chapter that began uwhenhe inherited a team from MS Dhoni and mmade ithis own. What fans will subconsciously remember when looking back on the dozen years he played for the Yankees is more than the centuries or the victories, and that would include his talent and his drive every time he went out to play ball.
India will now have to discover a new persona — one that continues to carry the baton, with the old taking a seat and watching it from the galleries.
