Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket last month, sending shockwaves through the world of cricket. The veteran batter Virat Kohli‘s retirement came shortly after his skipper Rohit Sharma had made a similar decision, and just ahead of the BCCI’s squad announcement for the five-match England series.
Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned 14 years and included 123 Tests – 68 of them as captain – in which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. Virat Kohli had communicated his desire to retire from Test cricket to the BCCI ahead of the big five-match series in England starting June 20, for which he was expected to be part of the squad. It was learnt at the time that Kohli had been having conversations on the matter with officials of the BCCI for the past month or so.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of the greatest cricketers of the modern era, continue to be at the heart of discussions around Indian cricket’s future. As they move into the later stages of their careers, questions arise about how long they will remain central to India’s ODI setup and whether they can still be part of the 2027 World Cup campaign.
At present, both Kohli and Rohit remain vital to India’s ODI team. Kohli is still the team’s most dependable batter in run-chases, often anchoring innings under pressure, while Rohit provides India with fearless starts at the top. Even though both have stepped away from T20Is, their ODI contributions continue to be unmatched. Former West Indian all rounder opened up on the reasons for sudden retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in a five day format.
Dwayne Smith gives a logical reasoning behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s test retirement ahead of Australia ODI leg 2025
Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith reacted to the surprising decision of Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to bid farewell to Test cricket earlier this year. Both Rohit and Kohli, two of the most celebrated batters in modern cricket, stunned fans in May 2025 when they announced their retirement from the longest format just before India’s much-anticipated five-match Test series against England.
The retirement call followed their earlier exit from T20 internationals. After lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, both legends decided it was the perfect time to step aside from the shortest format. And in May this year, within days of each other, they confirmed that their Test journeys had also come to an end. Their sudden departure has left India in a transitional phase, especially with ODI cricket also taking a backseat since IPL 2025. India’s next ODI assignment is scheduled only in October against Australia.
In an interview with Sports Tak, Smith suggested that the lack of inner drive might have been the key factor behind their choice.
“I think most guys, when they’re not feeling that urge or that burning sensation that you want to play and play hard cricket, I think when that is gone, it’s when you know that you’ve got to give up on it,” Smith said.
Drawing from his own career, Smith recalled how his international retirement in 2017 was influenced by non-selection and a feeling that opportunities were being denied to him.
“My situation was different. I had a lot of things going against me with selection and all that. So I think at the time I did it, it was the right time. Some people say not that it was wrong, but I think it was at the right time because they were just messing around with me,” Dwayne Smith added.
With Rohit and Virat Kohli now out of both T20Is and Tests, their focus has shifted to ODIs. The duo will next be seen in action in the three-match ODI series against Australia beginning October 19. Their last international appearance came in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where India ended a 12-year drought by clinching the title against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium.
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