Ravi Shastri reveals frank discussion with Virat Kohli ahead of star batter’s Test retirement

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri revealed Virat Kohli spoke to him before announcing his retirement from Test format. Shastri said Kohli had no doubts in his mind that he wanted to call it a day from the red-ball version.

Shastri and Kohli are known to share a great bonhomie with each other and also savored success as a coach-captain duo for the team, taking India to their first Test series win on Australian soil. 

Kohli amassed 9230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.

“I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that [his announcement] and his mind was very clear that he’d given us everything,” Shastri said on The ICC Review show.

Shastri revealed that Kohli has no regrets regarding his decision to call it quits.

“There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that’s a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, ‘Yes, the time is right’. The mind has told his body that it’s time to go,” he added.

The former Indian all-rounder admitted Kohli surprised him with his retirement decision as he thought he had more fuel left in his tank.

“Virat surprised me because I thought he had at least two-three years of Test match cricket left in him. But then, when you’re mentally fried and overcooked, that’s what tells your body. You might be physically the fittest guy in the business. You might be fitter than half the guys in your team, but mentally you’re well done, as they say, then it sends a message to the body. You know, that’s it,” Shastri said.

Shastri added that Kohli achieved everything there is in the book to achieve and had nothing more to prove at the top level.

“At times when you quit the game, you know, and after a month or two months you say, ‘I wish I had done this, I wish I had done this.’ [Kohli] He’s done everything. He’s captained sides, he’s won World Cups, he’s won an Under-19 World Cup [2008] himself. I mean, there’s nothing for him to achieve,” he said.

Kohli will be seen in action in IPL 2025.