"Can anyone leave the sport without it being their own wish?" - Former India captain reacts to Virat Kohli's surprise retirement from Test cricket

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said he was surprised by Virat Kohli's decision to retire from Test cricket. The 52-year-old admitted, however, that it was a personal decision for any player to leave the sport.

Kohli retired from Test cricket on May 12, after playing 123 Tests and scoring 9230 runs at an average of 46.85.

"Yes, I am surprised. It's their own decision. Can anyone leave the sport without it being their own wish? But it's been a fantastic career, and the same goes for Rohit Sharma. Both of them have had incredible careers," Ganguly told reporters in Kolkata (via Hindustan Times).

Since Kohli's retirement from Test cricket, English county side Middlesex has expressed an interest to sign him to play for them in the summer. The 36-year-old was reportedly set to play for Surrey in 2018, but that stint did not go through after he suffered a neck injury.

Sourav Ganguly calls for long-term thinking while choosing India's next Test captain

Rohit Sharma's retirement has left India without a Test captain before the start of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, that begins in June. Sourav Ganguly called for long-term thinking while selecting the next person at the helm in the longest format of the game.

"The selectors will make decisions as per their understanding. A lot must be thought about in terms of captaincy. Long-term thinking. Many are talking about Jasprit Bumrah. There are concerns about his injury. We will have to think about everything together," Ganguly said.

Ganguly led India in 49 Test matches between 2000 and 2005 and won 21 of those games, that included wins in England, Pakistan and West Indies. India's first assignment in the new WTC cycle will be a five-match Test series against England, starting in Leeds on June 20.