Virat Kohli Wanted To Continue In The Test Format: Mohammad Kaif
Virat Kohli, India's star Test batter, has announced his retirement from red-ball cricket, sparking speculation about the reasons behind his decision. Mohammad Kaif suggests internal discussions with BCCI and selectors may have influenced Kohli's choice, citing concerns over his form and team position. Kohli's recent performances indicated a shift in his approach, possibly leading to his retirement.
The Indian star Test batter Virat Kohli has recently announced his retirement from red-ball cricket. It was seen in the last few years that his form had slightly dropped, but it was anticipated that he'd continue to play, especially in the England series next month, after Rohit Sharma suddenly announced his retirement from Test. There were many speculations on what the exact reason behind Kohli's sudden retirement was, while discussing the same Mohammad Kaif in an interview predicted that Kohli wanted to continue.
He said,
"I think he wanted to continue in the format. There must have been some internal talks with the BCCI; the selectors may have cited his form in the past 5-6 years and told him his spot in the team may no longer be there. We will never find out what happened; it is very difficult to guess what actually took place behind the scenes."
"But given the last-minute decision, having played the Ranji Trophy, I definitely think he wanted to come back in the upcoming Tests. The developments in the last few weeks, he may not have gotten the support he thought he would get from BCCI and selectors, which he may not have gotten".
"In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, he looked in a hurry to score runs. You have to stay out for hours and grind in Test cricket, which he has done in the past, but the constant edging of the ball moving away from him while attempting to drive made me feel his patience was a bit less."
Further, Kaif said,
"Maybe he was thinking, 'I am in the last phase of my career; what's the point of scoring a gritty century?' There used to be a different level of patience on display from him before; he used to leave the balls, take his time, and tire the bowlers and then take them down, but I did not see that from him in Australia."
"That one method of dismissal at the slips perhaps shows that he was not ready to spend hours at the crease. The communication from BCCI and the self-realization in red-ball cricket may have led to the decision."
The exact reason for the sudden retirements of both the senior players before such a crucial series against England next month has not been revealed yet. Now, the BCCI has a very big responsibility of finding a replacement for such senior players in a team who can carry forward the legacy and do wonders for the Indian Cricket Team in the future.