“Test cricket needs Virat” – West Indies legend wants Virat Kohli to take a U-turn on his decision considering retirement from Tests

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has asked Virat Kohli to reconsider his decision amid reports that he wants to retire from Test cricket. The 56-year-old believes that Test cricket needs Kohli, who is the fourth-highest run-getter in the format among active players, behind Kane Williamson (9,276), Steve Smith (10,271), and Joe Root (12,972).

Lara, who is the only batter to score 400 runs in a Test innings, believes that Kohli will average over 60 in the remainder of his Test career.

In an Instagram post shared on Saturday (May 10), Lara shared a picture of his conversation with Kohli during IPL, with the caption:

“Test cricket needs Virat!! He is going to be persuaded. He is NOT going to retire from Test cricket. @virat.kohli is going to average above 60 for the remainder of his Test career. #testcricket #thebest.”

Take a look:

Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Tests emerged days after erstwhile India captain Rohit Sharma bid adieu to the format on May 7.

Kohli hasn’t been as successful in Tests as in white-ball formats since 2020. Since 2020, the 36-year-old has managed just 2028 runs at an average of 30.72 in 69 innings with the help of three centuries. Before this phase, he amassed 7202 runs in 141 innings, averaging 54.97, comprising 27 tons.

The Delhi batter played his last Test series in Australia – the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He managed just 190 runs in nine innings at a poor average of 23.75 despite a century in the first of the five-match series. His failures affected Team India as they lost their grip on the trophy for the first time in 10 years. Pat Cummins-led Australia won the series by a 3-1 margin.

Virat Kohli was equally dismal during the home Test series, managing 99 and 93 runs in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh and the three-match series against New Zealand, respectively.

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“Please don’t retire” – CSK legend's plea to Virat Kohli amid retirement reports

Three-time IPL champion with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ambati Rayudu, also asked Kohli to reconsider his decision to retire from the longest format on Saturday. He wrote on X:

“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..”

Team India will next be seen in action during the five-match Test series in England, which begins on June 20. It will also mark the beginning of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for the two-time runners-up.