New Delhi, May 12: The cricketing world came to a standstill on Monday as one of the game’s most iconic figures, Virat Kohli, announced his retirement from Test cricket, drawing the curtain on a glittering red-ball career that spanned 123 matches, 9,230 runs, 30 centuries, and 31 fifties. Kohli, 36, confirmed the news via an emotional post on Instagram, reflecting on his 14-year journey in the whites of India.

What followed was an outpouring of emotion from across the cricketing globe, with teammates, rivals, legends and fans flooding social media to pay tribute to a man who changed the face of Indian Test cricket forever. Among the first to respond was AB de Villiers, Kohli’s long-time friend and former RCB teammate, “Congrats to my biscotti @virat.kohli on an epic Test career! Your determination & skill have always inspired me. True legend!”

Jhulan Goswami, India’s bowling stalwart, summed up Kohli’s presence in whites perfectly: “There was something about @imVkohli in whites. It wasn’t just skill. It was intent. He didn’t want to survive. He wanted to dominate. To conquer. And in the process, he gave us 14 years of unforgettable memories. Best of luck for your journey ahead.”

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who shared the dressing room with Kohli during the early days of his career, posted: “Virat, we’ve shared that era… faced the grind together, lived the long days of Test cricket with pride. Your batting in whites is special - not just in numbers, but in intent, intensity, and inspiration. Good luck going forward #ViratKohli #TestCricket @imVkohli."

India head coach Gautam Gambhir, under whom Kohli made his late strides in Test cricket, kept it short but heartfelt, “A man with lion’s passion! Will miss u cheeks,” he wrote on X.

Even the highest echelons of the cricketing administration acknowledged the void Kohli’s retirement leaves behind. The ICC Chair Jay Shah, in a rare personal post, said: “Congratulations @imVkohli on a stellar Test career. Thank you for championing the purest format during the rise of T20 cricket and setting an extraordinary example in discipline, fitness, and commitment. Your speech at the Lord’s said it all - you played Tests with heart, grit, and pride.”

Kohli's retirement follows closely after Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin also announced their exit from the red-ball format, signifying a major transition in Indian Test cricket.

(IANS)

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