In an Instagram post, the player announced his retirement from test cricket format. It read, “It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life. There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off.”

This announcement comes just days after skipper Rohit Sharma announced his retirement in a social media story on Instagram. With both the headliners of the dynamic Kohli-Sharma duo drawing curtains on their test-cricket career, BCCI is now hunting a new captain. Just minutes after he posted the announcement, his wife, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli were spotted taking a flight from the Mumbai Airport. As regulations relax after Operation Sindoor, airlines have issued new travel advisories for passengers.

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Based on reports from Sky News, it was revealed that Jasprit Bumrah was considered for the post. However, he declined as it may not be present during the entire India vs England series set to kick off in June 2025. The primary candidates are Shubman Gill with a stellar record across all formats. A potential vice-captain of the Indian Cricket Test Team 2025 could also be Rishabh Pant.

Virat Kohli was just a few runs shy from the 9,500 mark in the 123 test matches he had played. With combined 36,108 runs in his entire cricket career so far, the right-hand batsman has over 14,000 runs from the one-day international format alone. He has played in the test cricket team for fourteen years since 2011. Also known for his light-speed fielding skills, he has taken over 120 wickets in his test career. The IPL 2025 season for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been a turn-around this year. With integral performances in their away-matches, Virat Kohli’s batting has truly impact the IPL 2025 season for RCB.

Under his captaincy, India was the No. 1 ranking in test-cricket after registering a first-ever win against Australia. Gaining his fame from the Under-19 tournament, he also holds the records for 50 hundreds in the ODI format.