Kohli’s Fitness Is Ronaldo-Level, So Why Retire Early? The Answer Is In The Format

Virat Kohli and Cristiano Ronaldo [Source: @Celebrity_Xe, @Telescope_HQ/x.com]

In a recent podcast, one of India's greatest ever footballers, Sunil Chhetri, revealed that Virat Kohli was texting him fitness test scores from London. This embodies a classic elite athlete's obsession, which is key to Virat Kohli's success in the professional arena.

Since Chhetri drew parallels between Kohli and Ronaldo, here is the puzzle: if Cristiano Ronaldo is still dominating at 40 with a contract extension through 2027, why did cricket's fitness fanatic exit T20 internationals at 35 and Tests at 36?

The Numbers That Matter

When it comes to fitness, the credentials of Kohli are impeccable. His Yo-Yo test score of 17.2 in 2023 cleared the 16.5 benchmark with room to spare. Meanwhile, as a batter, he has still shown the ability to deliver against the best of attacks in the toughest of situations, evident from his match-winning knock in the T20 World Cup 2024.

At the other end of the spectrum is Cristiano Ronaldo, who is fresh off a 35-goal Saudi Pro League season. He is a perfect example of the fact that elite conditioning can sustain peak performance well into your 40s. Both athletes share that fanatical dedication to physical excellence that, in turn, adds to their prime abilities as professionals.

Format Management vs Minutes Management

One of the biggest things in sports is workload management. Football has the provision for teams to use five substitutes, which allows tactical management of superstars: Ronaldo can be rested or rotated.

But cricket offers no such luxury. When you are batting in Test cricket, you have to spend hours in the scorching sun. In case you are fielding, you have to grind through 90-plus overs with no substitutions available. Cricket demands complete mental and physical engagement for entire sessions; you cannot be managed in a particular format.

Strategic Reallocation, Not Decline

Kohli's exits from two formats were calculated moves, not admissions of his decline. His T20I retirement came immediately after India's World Cup 2024 triumph, framed as a succession plan.

His Test departure came after a slump during which his Test average was around 36 over the last two seasons. Not catastrophic, but well below his legendary standards. Rather than grinding for marginal returns, he chose to reallocate his finite energy where it would yield maximum impact.

The ODI format has always been his sweet spot, ideally suited to his skill set of strike rotation, phase control, and excellence in chasing targets. With the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, his ODI excellence makes his presence in the format a strategic sweet spot for the team.

The Parallel That Holds

Virat Kohli and Cristiano Ronaldo exemplify how modern superstars extend their careers through intelligent resource management. Ronaldo manages minutes within matches; Kohli manages formats in his international career. Neither approach signals decline or inferiority—both are examples of evolution.

Virat hasn't faded from cricket; he has optimised his involvement. Like Ronaldo cherry-picking his moments on the field, Kohli is cherry-picking his formats. The obsession for supreme fitness remains. The hunger for a championship endures. He has simply chosen to be elite where it counts most, for as long as possible.

This is not withdrawal—it's intelligent warfare.

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