The recent retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket may have caught some off guard, but for former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, the decision likely stemmed from a pragmatic realization by the batting stalwarts that their time in the format had simply run its course. At 36, Kohli’s announcement came just days after Rohit also drew the curtain on his Test career.
Mhambrey believes both Virat and Rohit understood that their struggles in the longest format signaled they had little left to offer. Kohli’s Test average had noticeably declined in recent years, with his well-documented vulnerability to deliveries outside off-stump becoming a recurring issue. Rohit’s difficulties were even more pronounced; his struggles led him to bench himself during the fifth Test of India’s 2024-25 Australia tour, a series India ultimately lost 1-2.
“Virat didn’t have five years of Test cricket left in him…Their individual battles that they fought, they must have realised that it was time,” Mhambrey explained to a leading publication. He elaborated that players often assess their potential contribution and their motivation levels. “They always say how valuable they could be in their contribution. And sometimes, it’s the motivation bit. Maybe they were not as motivated to play that format. They’ll not be able to give their best to that format. And that’s the way they approach. So very selfless approach, both of them,” he added, commending their selfless approach.
While both Kohli and Rohit have retired from Tests and T20Is, they remain available for One-Day Internationals, with their sights seemingly set on representing India at the 2027 World Cup.
