What does Virat Kohli’s #269 mean in his Test retirement post? 

On Monday, May 12, former India Test skipper and batting ace Virat Kohli called it a day on his illustrious Test career. He announced the same on his official social media account.

The No. 269, referenced by Kohli in his retirement post's caption on Instagram, stands for his Test cap number. The 36-year-old, who made his debut against the West Indies in Kingston in June 2011, was the 269th player to don the whites for India. His caption read:

"There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off.🇮🇳❤️"

Take a look at the Instagram post below:

Virat Kohli last played a Test match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia from January 3-6 earlier this year at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He last played first-class cricket for Delhi against Railways during the team's last round of Ranji Trophy matches, beginning on January 30.

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Virat Kohli retires as India's fourth-highest run-getter in Test cricket

Virat Kohli in action- Source: Getty

With 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches and an average of 46.85, Virat Kohli retired as India's fourth-highest run getter in the longest format of the game. He stands only behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,291), Rahul Dravid (13,265), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122).

Kohli also led the Test team between 2014 and 2022, with the 36-year-old handing over the reins to Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from the format last week (May 7).

Kohli led India in 68 Test matches, winning 40 of them, and also led them to the final of the first-ever ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand in 2021, where the Men in Blue lost.