“No one can convince you” - When Virat Kohli spoke about retirement on popular podcast
Team India ace batter Virat Kohli dropped a bombshell after expressing a desire to retire from Test cricket. According to reports, the former captain informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention ahead of the England tour. However, he has been asked to reconsider by the governing body, given the timing and the potential ramifications.
The majority believe that Kohli has got a lot of cricket left in him, especially on the back of his white-ball exploits, while fitness does not factor in at all. He has maintained himself to the highest of standards, and is hardly far away from his peak in that regard.
Despite his white-ball resurgence in 2022, the wave has unfortunately not improved his red-ball exploits. Although there have been flashes of brilliance, a sustained run of promising form is not quite there, compared to his potential and standards.
A poor home season followed by an equally dismal 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series may have contributed to Kohli's fire being extinguished, and a lack of fuel to re-ignite it.
Kohli has indicated in the past that he will step away from the game if his passion dies down, and no external factors could prompt him to take up the sport again.
"I've woken up feeling with a sense of detachment from what I am doing, thinking that I do not want to do this. But that has been because of excessive pressure that has been on me during a difficult phase. But still, I have had the ability to still tell myself, 'No, I will go out and try once more'," Kohli had said on Breakfast with Champions in 2018.
"The day you lose your will to go out and try once more, then you can't do anything, and no one can convince you. No chance. The motivation is about winning. The day I lose my passion, I will stop playing. I will never drag myself for more than my body can take," he added.
Kohli's last Test appearance to date came during the fifth 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Test in Sydney. He scored 17 and 6 in the first and the second innings, respectively, during the six-wicket defeat that sealed the series loss as well.
"Then that will just be a participation thing" - When Kohli proclaimed that he would not play unless he was contributing
Kohli had also highlighted how a lack of contribution from his part for the team might convince him to step away without a second glance. Although the numbers suggest otherwise, the former skipper is still a colossal presence in the current team setup amid transition.
"The day I am standing on the field thinking, why am I doing this? When the passion to win is not there, when that energy to win is not there, then I won't be able to play. Then that will just be a participation thing where you have the skill to perform, so you are there in the team. But if I am not able to contribute to the team, I will not play," Kohli had remarked.
It remains to be seen whether Kohli reverses his tentative decision of his own accord, or would it require an external influence to encourage him to stay for the time being.