Ravi Shastri has opened up about his conversation with Virat Kohli ahead of the star batter’s emotional announcement of retirement from Test cricket. Speaking on The ICC Review show on May 15, the former India head coach revealed that he had spoken to Kohli just a week before the 36-year-old took to Instagram on May 12 to declare the end of his illustrious Test career. Their bond, built over years of partnership on and off the field, made the conversation a deeply personal one.
“I did speak to him about it (retirement), I think a week before that (his announcement), and his mind was very clear that he’d given us everything,” Shastri said during the show. Reflecting on the moment, he added, “There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that’s a personal conversation which, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, ‘Yes, the time is right.’ The mind has told his body that it’s time to go.”
Virat Kohli ends his red-ball journey as one of India’s most celebrated Test cricketers, amassing 9,230 runs from 123 matches, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. He captained the side in 68 Tests, securing 40 victories—a record in Indian cricket history.
Ravi Shastri, who closely witnessed Virat Kohli growth and passion, praised his unmatched intensity. “If he decided to do something, then he gave his 100%, which is not easy to match,” he said, admiring how Kohli played every role on the field with urgency and accountability. “That much involvement, I would think there’s going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn’t take a rest,” Shastri concluded, acknowledging that Kohli’s relentless dedication inevitably came with a cost.
As Kohli turns the page on Test cricket, his legacy remains firmly etched as one of India’s greatest modern-day cricketers.
