• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Was Taken Purely Virat Kohli Finally Reveals Reason Behind T20i Retirement

"Was Taken Purely..." Virat Kohli Finally Reveals Reason Behind T20I Retirement

Aakash Saini

Virat Kohli [Source: @SATISHMISH78/x]Virat Kohli [Source: @SATISHMISH78/x]

Virat Kohli opened up on his sudden decision of taking retirement from T20Is for Team India. Back in June 2024 last year, mere moments after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies, the legendary Indian batter made his triumphant exit from the format, alongside the likes of fellow senior pros Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja.

Currently plying his trade for the RCB franchise in IPL 2025, Kohli was recently asked what prompted him to retire from T20I cricket for the Indian team.

Kohli reveals “selfless” reason for T20I retirement

Speaking on RCB podcast, Virat Kohli spoke about the decision behind his retirement from T20I cricket. The legendary Indian batter said that he wanted to retire from the format straightaway after the 2024 T20 World Cup, in a bid to give rising stars and up-and-coming talents a two-year breathing space before the next ICC T20 event.

“I do not think things have changed for me in any way. The decision to leave T20Is was taken purely understanding that there is a new set of players who are more than ready and they need time. They need a two-year cycle to evolve, handle pressure, play in different parts of the world, and play enough games to the point where when the World Cup comes, they feel like they are ready.”

Virat Kohli, T20I cricket’s second highest run-aggregator at the time, slapped a match-winning 76 in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup against South Africa. His innings played an influential role in India’s drought-ending T20 World Cup conquest, and brought down curtains to his 20-overs international career on a fitting note.

Apart from his T20I success, Kohli is also the leading run-maker in IPL history, and is currently in the race of ‘Orange Cap’ this 2025 season. In 10 innings so far, the cricketer has already tallied 443 runs at an average of 63.28 and at a strike rate of nearly 140.

Virat Kohli and the rest of his RCB colleagues will now face CSK on Saturday, May 3 in Bengaluru.