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Virat Kohli ends sabbatical, posts about cricket training on Instagram after 2 years: ‘Time to rescind Test retirement'
Former India batter Robin Uthappa reacted to Virat Kohli's latest snapshots from the team's training session in Vadodara.
Virat Kohli might have retired from Tests in May 2025, but the calls are still growing, asking the former India captain to rethink his decision and return to the format he cherished the most. The right-hander, 37, called time on his Test career after featuring in 123 matches and scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 with 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. Kohli announced his decision to bid adieu to the format he loved the most following a poor showing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, and the announcement came just days before the squad announcement for the England tour.
Following the Test retirement, there was scepticism about how Kohli would perform in ODIs, considering that he would be playing just one format after retiring from Tests and T20Is. However, Kohli has been setting the stage on fire in the 50-over format, scoring two centuries and two fifties in his last four ODIs.
Kohli is now raring to go for the upcoming three ODIs against New Zealand, which begin on January 11 in Vadodara. The experienced campaigner finally posted some pictures on his Instagram, giving the fans an insight into his training session.
It is worth mentioning that Kohli's latest post is his first regarding cricket in six months. If one leaves out the congratulatory post for the women's team on the World Cup win, Kohli's last cricket-related post came after RCB's maiden IPL triumph. On the other hand, it is the first time in two years that Kohli shared pictures from a training session.
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Taking note of these snapshots, Robin Uthappa, the former India batter, noted that Kohli's eyes definitely tell a story, and the time has truly come for the former captain to take back his retirement and don the whites all over again.
“Them eyes tell u a story…Surely it’s time to rescind his test retirement. Would love to see him back in Test cricket,” Uthappa wrote on X.
Kohli won't take a U-turn
Several players might be asking Kohli to reconsider his Test retirement, but the batter has already made it clear that there are no such plans. After winning the Player of the Match accolade following his century in the Ranchi ODI against South Africa, Kohli was asked if he plans on playing just one format of the game.
To this query, Kohli told Harsha Bhogle, “Yes, that's how it's always going to be. I'm just playing one form of the game.”
Earlier this week, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar also spoke about Kohli's retirement, saying the stalwart of the game had simply given up and chosen to play the easier format, ODIs. Manjrekar made the comment after both Joe Root and Steve Smith notched up centuries in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Kohli , who was once touted to finish way ahead of his contemporaries Smith, Root and Williamson finished with the least number of Test returns as compared to the other three. He also missed out on the coveted 10,000-run mark, falling 770 runs short.
