Virat Kohli Retires From Test Cricket — Read His Full Statement Here

India's star batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday. The decision comes just days after Rohit Sharma decided to pull the plug on his Test career.

The news, which had been the subject of much speculation in recent days, was confirmed via a post on his official Instagram account.

"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," Kohli said.

The 36-year-old Kohli turned up in 123 Tests for India, scoring 9230 runs with 30 hundreds at an average of 46.85. He will only play in ODIs now, having already retired from T20 Internationals last year.

"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."

The megastar's last Test assignment was a largely underwhelming tour of Australia in which he managed just one hundred. He ends his career well short of the 10,000 run mark, which was at one stage considered a formality.

The right-hander nonetheless signs off as a giant of the format with seven double hundreds, the highest for an Indian and well ahead of the iconic duo of Sunil Gavaskar (4), Sachin Tendulkar (6), Virender Sehwag (6) and Rahul Dravid (5).

(with PTI inputs)