"I told Yuvi to call Virat" - Yograj Singh's stunning revelation on Kohli's Test retirement ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 series

Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh (Yuvraj Singh's father) wanted his son to call Virat Kohli after the ace batter announced his Test retirement on May 12. Yograj believes Kohli retired far too early due to external pressures, similar to Yuvraj, and wanted his son to advise Kohli not to make a similar mistake.

The 36-year-old finished his Test career under 800 shy of the monumental 10,000-run mark in 123 outings. With 9,230 runs and 30 centuries, Kohli is fourth all-time among Indian batters in both categories.

Meanwhile, skipper Rohit Sharma also walked away from the Test format a week before Kohli's announcement.

Talking about the duo's sudden Test retirement in a conversation with IANS, Yograj said (via TOI):

"I told Yuvi to call Virat and tell him, 'Don’t make the same mistake I did'. I’m certain they’ll (Rohit and Virat) look back and regret it a few years down the line. Because one day, the frustration will inevitably surface — but what will be the point then?"

He added:

"Back in 2011, players like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag were dropped without any clear reason. When Yuvraj retired, I scolded him - I told him not to give in to pressure. He was, and still is, incredibly fit. Cricketers should fight for their place in the team instead of surrendering to external pressures."

While Rohit did not achieve as much as Kohli in his Test career, he still finished with 4,301 runs in 67 matches at an average of over 40. The duo played massive roles in India's dominance in the red-ball format since 2015.

"Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli must return from retirement to save Indian Test cricket" - Yograj Singh

Yograj Singh urged Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to return to Test cricket to save the Indian side in the whites. The legendary duo struggled massively over the past few months in Tests, resulting in India losing back-to-back series against New Zealand and Australia.

India failed to qualify for the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final due to consecutive series defeats.

"Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli must return from retirement to save Indian Test cricket. This is not the time to think about themselves - it's about the nation, the fans, and the deep emotions people have for the game. Virat still has at least ten years of cricket left in him. As for Rohit, if he comes to me, I will make sure he gets back in peak fitness," said Yograj (via aforementioned source).

India's post-Rohit-Kohli era in Tests will begin with a daunting five-match series in England, starting June 20.