Just days ago, Indian team captain Rohit Sharma surprised fans by announcing his retirement from red-ball (Test) cricket. Now, reports suggest that Virat Kohli has also informed the BCCI of his decision to retire from Tests. According to a report by Indian media outlet The Indian Express, although neither Kohli nor the BCCI has made any official statement yet, the cricket board has reportedly urged him to reconsider. The potential retirement of both star batters in quick succession is causing some concern for Indian cricket, as it would result in a relatively inexperienced batting lineup.

While India does have a strong bench and upcoming batting talents, the BCCI is not keen on losing Kohli from the Test format so soon. It’s also reported that the board was surprised by Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire. A source told The Indian Express, “He (Kohli) has made up his mind and conveyed to the board that he wants to step away from Test cricket. The BCCI has asked him to reconsider, especially with the crucial series against England coming up. Since then, Kohli has not responded further.”

Both Kohli and Rohit struggled with form during India’s last Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Though Kohli did score a century in that series, their overall inconsistency drew significant criticism. If Kohli officially confirms his retirement from Tests, India’s batting lineup could face a phase of inexperience. Still, players like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant have been gaining valuable experience, and India is actively searching for a long-term captain in the Test format.

The 36-year-old Kohli has played 123 Test matches so far, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. However, his average has notably declined over the past five years. In his last 37 Tests, he managed just three centuries and scored 1,990 runs. In the five-Test series against Australia last December-January, his average was only 23.75, with seven of his eight dismissals coming from catches behind the wicket.

If Kohli doesn’t change his mind, like Rohit, he’ll likely continue playing only ODI cricket for India. Both aim to play until the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli and Rohit’s absence will reshape the Indian squad for the upcoming England tour, where India will play a five-Test series starting on June 20. This series will also mark the beginning of a new captaincy era for India, with Shubman Gill reportedly being the frontrunner for the role.