On Monday, Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a rollicking 14-year career that has left an indelible mark on the sport. Kohli, regarded as one of the best cricketers of this generation, ended his career as one of the most successful captains. The talented batter's announcement to call time on his Test career has elicited an outpouring of reactions from fellow and former cricketers.
Reacting to Kohli’s retirement, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir called Kohli a man with a lion's passion.
"A man with a lion's passion! Will miss you, cheeks," Gambhir wrote in a social media post.
ICC chairman Jay Shah also congratulated Kohli on his massively successful Test career.
"Congratulations Virat Kohli on a stellar Test career. Thank you for championing the purest format during the rise of T20 cricket and setting an extraordinary example in discipline, fitness, and commitment. Your speech at the Lord’s said it all - you played Tests with heart, grit, and pride," Shah said.
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag praised Kohli, calling him special.
“Congratulations Virat on an incredible test career. From the time i saw you, knew that you are special. The intensity that you brought and the sheer passion with which you played Test cricket was a joy to watch. You were a great ambassador of Test cricket and wish you the best of times ahead in One Day Cricket @imvkohli,” Sehwag wrote on X.
Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal wrote, "Pajji , I grew up watching you and Rohit bhai play, and from the moment seeing both of you in that Indian jersey I dreamed of one day doing the same. Both of you have been a source of inspiration not just for me, but for an entire generation who fell in love with cricket because of the passion and intensity you brought to the game,” he wrote on Instagram.
“The impact you’ve had on Test cricket, and on cricket in India as a whole, is immeasurable. To have had the chance to share the pitch with you — someone I looked up to for so many years — was more than just a privilege; it was a moment I’ll carry with me forever,” he added.
Kohli caps off his highly decorated career with 9230 runs for India from 123 Test matches. He blasted 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his career.