Ambati Rayudu Pens Down Emotional Note To Virat Kohli, Pleads 36-Year-Old Not To Retire From Test Cricket: 'Indian Team Needs You'

Talismanic Indian batter Virat Kohli has told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) his desire to bid adieu the Test cricket just days before the five-match long-format series against England, according to ESPNcricinfo.

The reports that have surfaced on the internet on Saturday, May 10, stated that Kohli has been having the conversation of his retirement from Test cricket with the BCCI for the last few months.

If the BCCI fails to change the 36-year-old's mind, then it will bring to an end of his illustrious Test career which spanned almost for 14 years. Kohli has played 123 Tests, amassing 9230 runs at a strike rate of 55.57 after making his debut in the long-format in June 2011 against West Indies.

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As of now, the star top-order batter last represented India in the Test cricket was in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025, where he scored 190 runs at a strike rate 47.97, and has an average of 23.75.

Ambati Rayudu Writes Emotional Note To Virat Kohli

As cricket fans are in deep thinking whether Virat Kohli will announce his retirement from Test cricket or not. Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu wrote a heartfelt note on his official X  handle, pleading Virat Kohli not to retire from the long-format, saying that the Indian team needs him more than ever now.

Rayudu added that the 36-year-old still has a lot in his tank. The former cricketer echoed thousands of fans' words and further added that Test cricket won't be the same without Kohli.

"Virat Kohli please don’t retire.. The Indian team needs you more than ever. You have so much more in the tank. Test cricket will not be the same without you walking out to battle it out for Team India.. Please reconsider," Ambati Rayudu wrote on X.

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Rohit Sharma Also Announced His Retirement From Test Cricket

Earlier on May 7th, Rohit Sharma took to his official Instagram account and announced that he is retiring from the Test cricket. It came as a shock to many fans as the news came suddenly.

"Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It's been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format," Rohit Sharma wrote on Instagram story while announcing the news.

In Test cricket, Rohit Sharma scored 4301 runs at a strike rate of 57.05 in the long format after playing 67 Tests.