Virat Kohli gave multiple “I am done” reminders to teammates during BGT 2024-25: Reports

Team India ace batter Virat Kohli reportedly gave multiple indications to his teammates that he wishes to part ways with Test cricket during the gruelling 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series in Australia. The away tour marked one of the lowest points in the former skipper's impeccable career, ending with only 190 runs in nine innings, including a major dip after a promising ton in the series opener.

Virat Kohli sent ripples into the cricket world after reports indicated a potential Test cricket retirement on the horizon. He has expressed an interest in walking away ahead of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC), while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested him to rethink his intentions.

While all of the current events may seem to be out of the blue, especially coming days after Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket, a report from the Times of India indicates that Kohli's decision is hardly a spur-of-the-moment one. Amid his repeated failures Down Under, including dismissals in a similar fashion without runs on the board, he was left exasperated and told his teammates numerous times that he was done with Test cricket.

At the time, the weight of the words were largely dismissed considering the plight that the entire team was plunged in. Kohli was not the only batter struggling on Australian shores as the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were struggling too, if not more.

Team management reportedly did not cater to Virat Kohli's request to lead Test team again

Virat Kohli had stepped down as Team India's Test captain after the away series loss to South Africa in 2021-22. At the time, there was no indication to suggest that the ace batter would desire a return to leadership, especially since he relinquished the white-ball leadership roles as well as the RCB captaincy post.

However, Kohli reportedly put his hand up in Team India's search for the next Test captain amid recent failures. Failing to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final cast a massive dent in Rohit Sharma's position. However, the team management have conveyed that they do not wish to step back, and are strongly considering Shubman Gill to lead the side moving forward.

"A new WTC cycle is starting. Future and continuity has to be kept in mind as far as the team is concerned. Even coach Gautam Gambhir would want a set of players he is likely to work with for an extended period. There can't be any stop-gap solutions for such an important series. The last two Test series haven't been ideal for the team and the England series is very crucial," a source tracking developments had told the Times of India.

Team India's tour of England is scheduled to begin from June 20 onwards in Leeds. The series will officially kick-start the 2025-27 WTC cycle.