"Not actually surprised at the decision": Indian football legend reacts to Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket

Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri was not surprised by Virat Kohli's decision to retire from Test cricket. The 40-year-old said that the former Indian cricket team captain would not have made the decision hastily, while acknowledging that it would have been a tough call for him.

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

“I’m not actually surprised at the decision. But knowing that he’s at peace, I’m happy for him. Knowing Virat, he must have taken a lot of time to call it off. Especially Test cricket. Even with my knowledge, I know and you know how much he loves playing Test matches.

"So, for him to call it a day, even at his peak, especially when you have fans who’ll urge him to keep playing for another year or so, it’s big. For him to call ‘Alvida’ to the format he loves the most, it must have been difficult for him," Chhetri told Star Sports (via News18).

Sunil Chhetri feels finding the right balance between sport and family may have led to Virat Kohli's Test retirement

Sunil Chhetri delved into the possible reasons behind Virat Kohli's Test retirement. He said that athletes tend to question whether they can find a balance between professional and personal life after a certain stage in their career.

“After a point in time, you start questioning yourself about whether you’re maintaining a certain balance in life: with your sporting career and your family. That becomes important, asking yourself whether the sacrifice is worth it," he said.

Chhetri and Kohli have been known to be good friends for a long time, with the former visiting the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to meet the latter during the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Bengaluru on more than one occasion.