Virat Kohli Retires From Test Cricket: A Look At His Records
Kohli made his Test debut in June 2011 during India's tour of the West Indies.
Virat Kohli has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, marking the end of a 14-year career in the longest format of the game. The 36-year-old has left an indelible mark on the world of cricket, with a record that includes 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85, which features 30 centuries.
Kohli made his Test debut in June 2011 during India's tour of the West Indies. His first Test outing in Kingston was challenging — he scored just 4 and 15 runs in two innings. Kohli accumulated just 76 runs from five innings on that tour.
His potential began to shine through later that year. In Mumbai, against the West Indies, he scored 52 and 63, showing early glimpses of the greatness to come.
On India's tour to Australia in 2011-12, Kohli faced a tough series, with India losing 4-0. Despite the team's struggles, Kohli ended the series on a high note, registering his first-ever Test century in the Adelaide Test.
Career Defined By Centuries
Over the years, Kohli became synonymous with consistency and excellence in Test cricket. Barring one series in Bangladesh, Kohli scored centuries in every country he played. His career-best innings came in 2019, when he scored an unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune.
In his 123 Test matches, Kohli compiled 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries. He has managed to maintain an impressive strike rate of 55.57 in his career. He has batted in 210 innings, remaining not out 13 times. Apart from the 30 tons, Kohli’s Test record also includes 31 half-centuries.
Kohli's Record As Test Captain
Virat Kohli captained India in 68 Test matches — the sixth-most by any player in the format. As India’s Test captain, he transformed the team into one of the most formidable sides in the world. Under his leadership, India won 40 of the 68 Test matches, making him the country’s most successful Test captain to date. Kohli also led India to the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC) for the first time. At the time of his retirement, his 40 Test victories placed him fourth on the all-time list of captains with the most wins in the format.
Kohli's captaincy was also marked by some remarkable individual performances. In the 2014-15 series against Australia, Kohli became one of the few cricketers to score centuries in both innings of a Test match.
He accomplished this feat in December 2014 during the Adelaide Test, scoring 115 and 141. That series was one of his most fruitful, as he amassed 692 runs at an average of 86.50, including centuries in Melbourne and Sydney.
The Final Years
Despite a sensational start to his Test career, Kohli’s form in recent years has not been as prolific. His unbeaten 100 in the Perth Test in November 2024 was his first Test century since July 2023.
Kohli's average over the last 24 months dropped to 32.56, reflecting a challenging phase in the longest format. At the time of his career-best figures – 254 against South Africa in 2019 – Kohli’s average was 55.10.
During his golden years between 2016 and 2018, Kohli scored 3,596 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 66.59. It included 14 hundreds and eight fifties.
He averaged 75.93 in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, 55.08 in 2018 and 68 in 2019.
A Fond Farewell
In a message on Instagram, Kohli shared his thoughts on his Test career. He wrote, “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.”
Reflecting on his experiences, he said, “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.”
Kohli concluded, “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.”
Virat Kohli played his final Test match against Australia in Sydney in January 2025. His decision to retire comes shortly after the retirements of his peers, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin. With other stalwarts like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane no longer part of the Indian Test team, Kohli’s departure signals the end of an era for Indian Test cricket.
