"Is he thinking about retirement out of helplessness?" - Former Indian batter's big statement on Virat Kohli ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has questioned the reasoning behind Virat Kohli's intention to retire from Test cricket ahead of the England tour next month. Team India will play five Tests in England, starting June 20.

Meanwhile, the latest reports have suggested Kohli informing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his wish to retire from Tests. The board has asked him to reconsider the retirement decision, leaving Indian fans waiting anxiously for Kohli's final word.

The 36-year-old has been in poor Test form over the past few months, averaging under 23 in his previous 10 Tests. The numbers aside, Kohli's similar dismissal modes, nicking balls on the fourth stump, in India's most recent series in Australia, raised massive concerns.

Talking about Kohli's retirement rumors on his X handle, Kaif wondered if the veteran batter was retiring more out of helplessness over his outside off-stump issues than anything else.

"Virat Kohli, India's Babbar Sher wants to relax. He is thinking about retirement. I think he should go to England, prove his point and end his career on a high note. Because of the work he did in the T20 World Cup, he should end his career on a good note. Is he thinking about retirement out of helplessness? Because there is one kind of delivery that has been troubling him for many years. The ball bowled outside the off stump," he said (via Hindustan Times).

Kaif continued:

"When the ball was bowled in the fourth-stump channel, he got out many times. It was such a trouble that he couldn't get over it. In his career, he went to England and got out there. In Australia, he got out here. At home, against New Zealand, he got out to spin. He tried a lot."

The rumors around Kohli's Test retirement came just days after skipper Rohit Sharma called it quits from the red-ball format. The duo has been arguably the main pillars of India's Test batting lineup over the past decade.

"His effort was 200 per cent" - Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif believes Virat Kohli tried his best to eradicate his outside off-stump troubles in Australia despite the poor returns. The veteran batter started the tour with a brilliant century in the opening Test at Perth.

However, he fell away in the rest of the series to finish with an average of 23.75 over the five Tests.

"He tried very hard. His effort was 200 per cent. He always comes to play every match. But it didn't happen. I saw for the first time that Virat Kohli was out of form after scoring 100 in Australia. This has never happened. He scores in every match if he gets a century in the series opener. He keeps scoring. You won't be able to dismiss him. He has been such a hero of India," said Kaif (via aforementioned source).

Should Kohli retire from Tests, he will fall just short of the magical 10,000-run mark, finishing with 9,230 runs in 123 games.