Former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu has urged Virat Kohli to make a Test comeback as he feels the veteran is nowhere near retirement. Kohli had announced his Test retirement in May 2025 after calling it a day from the T20I format after the 2024 World Cup.

Kohli scored another match-winning knock of 69 runs off just 38 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Saturday in the run-chase of 202 in the opening game of IPL 2026. Kohli smashed five fours and as many sixes as he played at the top of his game despite making a comeback to professional cricket after a break.

Last year, Kohli had played down talks regarding his Test comeback when rumors of his return were floating around.

“I don’t think he is anywhere close to the end of his career. I think he still has five or six quality years left in him and, as Sanjay (Bangar) and I were discussing earlier, he should make a comeback in Test cricket as well – hopefully as a captain,” Rayudu said on the post-match show on ESPN Cricinfo.

“We are serious. He is the best red-ball captain I have seen in Indian cricket, and the way he is batting now, it is a loss for Indian cricket,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kohli amassed 9230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries. In the last 69 Test innings since 2020, Kohli had managed only 2028 runs at an average of 30.72, including just three centuries.

Before 2020, Kohli accumulated 7202 runs in 141 Test innings at an average of 54.97, including 27 centuries.

RCB will next take on Chennai Super Kings at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on April 5.