Virat , as the 36-year-old is leaving behind a legacy and a huge void to fill in the Indian team. Former and current India coaches, Ravi Shastri and Gautam Gambhir, lauded Kohli after his Test retirement.
Gambhir compared Virat’s hunger and rigour with a lion’s passion, saying he will miss his presence. Taking to social media, Gautam said, “A man with lion’s passion! Will miss u cheeks…” he wrote on X.
A man with lion’s passion!
Will miss u cheeks….
— (@GautamGambhir)
Shastri, meanwhile, labelled him as a modern-day giant. He said, “Can’t believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for Test match cricket in every way you played and captained.
“Thank you for the lasting memories you’ve given to everyone, and to me in particular. It’s something I will cherish for life. Go well, champ. God bless,” Shastri wrote on X.
The 36-year-old Kohli brings down the curtains on a prolific red-ball career, spanning 14 years and 123 Tests. Having made his Test debut against the West Indies on June 20, 2011, in Kingston, Kohli ended his Test career with 9230 runs in 123 Tests, averaging 46.85 with 30 centuries.
Can’t believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for Test match cricket in every way you played and captained. Thank you for the lasting memories you’ve given to everyone, and to me in particular. It’s something I will cherish for life. Go…
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc)
He was also India’s most successful batter in the previous decade between 2010 and 2019. Kohli was the third-highest Test run-getter in the period, piling on 7202 runs at 54.97 average and 27 centuries, the most by any batter in the time.
Earlier on May 6, Gambhir said on Rohit and future that no player should be ‘pressed into retirement’.
“Till the time they are performing, they should be a part of the team. When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?” Gambhir said at ABP News ‘India At 2047′ Summit.
