May 12, 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has paid glowing tribute to Virat Kohli, celebrating his retirement from Test cricket as the end of a golden era that redefined Indian cricket’s standards of excellence, leadership, and passion for the game’s longest format.
In a joint statement, BCCI President Roger Binny and Secretary Devajit Saikia praised the 36-year-old’s profound impact on Test cricket, both as a player and as India’s most successful captain in the format.
“Virat Kohli’s name will be remembered alongside the finest ever to have graced Test cricket,” said Roger Binny. “What set him apart was not just his hunger for runs, but his commitment to excellence in the toughest format. His leadership transformed India’s approach to overseas cricket—with aggression, belief, and an unrelenting desire to win.”
A Defining Test Career
Kohli’s Test journey began in 2011 against the West Indies and ended in early 2025, spanning 123 matches, 9,230 runs, 30 centuries, and 31 fifties, at an average of 46.85. But as BCCI highlighted, his influence stretched beyond numbers.
Under his captaincy, India:
- Recorded 40 Test wins in 68 matches, the most by any Indian captain.
- Topped the ICC Test rankings for 42 consecutive months.
- Registered landmark overseas series wins, including the historic 2018-19 series win in Australia, the first ever by an Asian team.
- Reached the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021.
- Remained unbeaten in home Test series under his leadership.
Devajit Saikia noted, “Test cricket found not just an ambassador, but a true guardian in Virat Kohli. His performances in difficult conditions, and his insistence on fitness and discipline, raised the bar for all.”
Cultural Shift in Indian Cricket
BCCI also emphasized Kohli’s role in revolutionizing Indian cricket culture—ushering in a focus on athleticism, mental toughness, and a winning mindset.
His aggressive intent was evident as early as his captaincy debut in Adelaide (2014), where he scored 115 and 141, leading India’s bold chase of 364. That match became a symbol of the new Indian approach to Test cricket—fearless, competitive, and uncompromising.
A Legacy Beyond Runs
Kohli retires not just as a prolific batter and bold captain, but as a transformative figure in Indian cricket. His legacy, BCCI stated, is the “fitter, tougher, and more combative Indian team” that he leaves behind.
As the chapter on Kohli’s Test career closes, his influence continues to shape the aspirations and approach of the next generation of Indian cricketers.