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"He Mentioned Very Clearly…" Ravi Shastri Reveals Real Reason Of Virat Kohli's Retirement

Aashay Chopade

Virat Kohli in Test cricket (Source: @rushiii_12/X.com)Virat Kohli in Test cricket (Source: @rushiii_12/X.com)

On May 12, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect leaving cricket world in great shock. Before his announcement, there were reports that BCCI is trying to covince Virat Kohli to not retire from Test cricket and Ravi Shastri was assigned that task.

Ravi Shastri Reveals His Secret Chat With Virat Kohli About Test Retirement

Now, few days after retirement, Ravi Shastri has revealed to Sanjana Ganesan on ICC platform that he did talk to Virat Kohli, a week before his announcement. He stated that Virat Kohli was firm in his decision and was clear that he has given everything he could give to the game. Shastri also made it clear that Virat Kohli has no regrets and there were one or two personal questions which he cannot reveal in public. Shastri also mentioned that Kohli's mind has told his body and it is time to leave the Test format.

“I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that [his announcement] and his mind was very clear that he’d given us everything.There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that’s a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, ‘Yes, the time is right’. The mind has told his body that it’s time to go.”

Shastri appreciated Virat Kohli for his giving his 100 percent to the game each and every time and there was bound to be a burnout at some point in time and it has finally happened. Thus, Shastri revealed that Kohli wanted to take ample rest and give his everything to the ODI format and franchise cricket.

“If he decided to do something, then he gave his 100%, which is not easy to match,” Shastri said. “Individually, as a bowler, as a batsman. A player does his job, [and] then you sit back. But [with Kohli] when the team goes out, it’s as if he has to take all the wickets, he has to take all the catches, he has to make all the decisions on the field. That much involvement, I would think there’s going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn’t take a rest, if he doesn’t compartmentalise how much he wants to play across formats, there is bound to be a burnout.”

Thus, contrary to the reports that claimed that BCCI has forced Virat Kohli to retire, it seems that the legendary cricketer himself made the decision to walk away from the purest format.