Former Indian fast bowler Munaf Patel has opined that Virat Kohli won’t reverse his retirement decision in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. 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 has 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.

The right-hander scored 190 runs in five Test matches on the Australian tour and was continuously troubled by the outside off-stump line, getting dismissed while trying to play through the covers.

It was recently reported that Kohli could make a U-turn on his Test retirement but the veteran squashed such rumours.

Munaf Patel said on Breaking Sports with Vivek Sethia, “Now that the decision has been made, maybe it is still his decision to come back, but I don’t think so. If you ask me personally, then no. A player of that stature also has his own ego. You are talking about Virat Kohli. You compare him with Sachin and then think that he will retire and come back. Retirement is neither your decision nor mine; he took that decision himself. Since he has taken it himself, he is responsible for it.”

Patel said Kohli was able to achieve all the landmarks in Test cricket and there should not be any obsession with 10,000 Test runs.

“What is the calculation of ten thousand runs, sir? When you look at what he has achieved, he has played 100 Test matches, captained the country, won series in places where we had never won before, and achieved everything. What else is left? So it can be his decision, taken according to his own thinking. Coming back now seems difficult. I don’t think it will happen. It is difficult.”

Kohli will be seen in action in the IPL 2026.