If Virat Kohli doesn't change his mind and brings the curtain down on his Test career, then the SCG crowd, who were there for the final Test between India and Australia in January, would carry the privilege of watching one of the modern-day greats for one last time in the flannels.
Notwithstanding a fallow two-year period, when his average dropped to 32, it has been a glorious Test career. A tally of 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries, in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85 makes him special. Yes, a drop from 55.10 - Kohli’s Test average when he was at his peak - was a let-down. But mind, even in Australia, which could well be his swansong, he had scored a hundred in a winning cause - in the first Test in Perth.
The development has come on the heels of Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement that happened only a few days ago. But Rohit fell off a cliff, averaging a little under 11 in his last eight Tests. According to sources, he wasn't a certainty for the five-Test series in England starting on June 20. The Mumbai batsman read the room.
As regards Kohli, it is learnt that he hasn't been given a nudge by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir. If he eventually retires, that would be on his own terms.
Test retirement reportedly was on Kohli’s mind ever since returning from Australia. Sources said, he has been having conversations with the BCCI officials for some time now. The cricket board top brass has asked the 36-year-old to reconsider his decision. But with the team selection for the England tour likely on May 23, they are yet to hear anything from the former India captain.
Now, there are reports that the BCCI might turn to a “highly influential figure” in Indian cricket to hold a meeting with Kohli and “persuade” him to continue playing red-ball cricket. There's enough cricketing logic in it. A new captain, very likely Shubman Gill, will be in charge of the team in England. Kohli's guidance will make things easier for the new skipper. Also, a porous Indian middle-order still doesn't have a replacement for Kohli.
Off the field, Kohli still remains the game's biggest brand. “I have said this before; Virat Kohli doesn't need us, we need him,” Jasprit Bumrah had said at a press conference in Australia. A marquee series without cricket’s biggest superstar could be a dampener for the host broadcaster.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
