Virat Kohli’s unexpected retirement from Test cricket has hit Indian fans like a no-ball on the final delivery — shocking, abrupt, and honestly, hard to digest. One moment, he was prepping for the England tour, grinding it out in the Ranji Trophy, and the next — boom! — he drops the retirement bomb.
But wait… something doesn’t add up.
Why would a man gearing up for an overseas Test series — someone who chose to play domestic cricket after the Australia series — suddenly hang up his red-ball boots? If retirement was already on his mind, then what was the point of pushing himself in Ranji?
Let’s not forget: Kohli was just 770 runs away from entering the elite 10,000 Test runs club. He would’ve become only the third Indian after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to cross that mark in both Tests and ODIs. Surely a man who has built his career around legacy and milestones wouldn’t step away when that goal was within touching distance?
Even Anushka Sharma was reportedly surprised. She always thought Tests would be the last format Virat would give up. And yet, here we are — the red-ball dream has ended, sooner than anyone expected.
So, what really went down? Let’s dive into the top theories that are circulating faster than a Kohli cover drive.
Theory #1: Kohli Wanted the Crown Back
According to The Times of India, Virat apparently asked the BCCI to reinstate him as the Test captain. But with a new World Test Championship cycle beginning, the board decided to back a younger leader. The message was clear: “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Theory #2: The Freedom Factor
A Cricbuzz report suggests that under the current management, Kohli didn’t feel the freedom, environment, or vibe he was used to. The atmosphere was starkly different from the one he thrived in earlier. Was this a subtle nod towards Gautam Gambhir’s influence behind the scenes?
Theory #3: Pushed, Not Pulled
Some reports claim that Kohli had made up his mind to retire after Rohit Sharma’s eventual exit, and the BCCI tried to convince him to stay. However, Dainik Jagran reported otherwise — that the board actually told Kohli his spot in the Test XI wasn’t guaranteed and didn’t ask him to reconsider. In fact, it was implied that he should walk away, citing his recent dip in form.
Kohli’s Test average since 2020? Just above 30. Compare that to his pre-2020 average of 55 — clearly, the numbers weren’t batting for him anymore.
Theory #4: The Family Angle
Kohli had publicly expressed discontent with the BCCI’s new rules restricting players’ families on tours. At an event right before the IPL, he said: "If you ask any player, 'Do you want your family around all the time?' you’d say yes. I don’t want to go back to my room and just sit alone and sulk.”
It sounds like he was genuinely struggling with the isolation that comes with the modern-day cricket schedule.
Each theory makes sense on its own, but none fully explains the timing, the silence, and the suddenness of the decision. Was it ego? Was it the environment? Was it emotion? Or was it the perfect storm of all three? The real reason is known only to Virat Kohli. Until he chooses to speak up, all we have are whispers, speculation, and theories.
So tell us — what you think really happened? Was it politics? Was it burnout? Or was it simply… the end of the road?
