Virat Kohli is far from finished with Test cricket, according to a recent statement made by former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Additionally, he believed that if he hadn’t withdrawn from the game’s longest format, it would have been wise to pass the captaincy for the forthcoming five-Test series against England.
Ravi Shastri believed that the main cause of Kohli’s abrupt withdrawal from Test cricket, the format he most enjoyed playing, would be mental exhaustion.
“I am sure Virat still had two years of Test cricket left in him. I would have loved to see him in England this summer. It would have been a good idea to hand him the captaincy for the tour, but he would know best why he decided to leave. Maybe, mental fatigue drove him to decide because he was as fit as any other player in the team. He knew his body best, but the mind would have played the decisive role. I will not rule out burnout as the decisive factor in curtailing his career at a critical phase of Indian cricket.”
Ravi Shastri
Will walk away from the game once he is done playing cricket: Ravi Shastri
The well-known analyst added that he believes Virat Kohli will not choose to pursue a career in coaching or broadcasting, which is what most cricket players do after retiring from international competition.
“He is still around to serve Indian cricket in ODIs, but I also know that Virat will walk away from the game once he is done playing cricket. He is not the kind who would like to coach or take on the role of a broadcaster. I will miss him when India plays its first Test in England. He was a champion, and that is what I would like to remember – never conceding an inch.”
Ravi Shastri
Virat Kohli was just 770 runs away from reaching the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket. He just announced his retirement from the sport after playing 123 matches (210 innings). He will only concentrate on playing for India in the 50-over format for as long as he can after retiring from T20Is last year.
