Virat Kohli Bitter Over Test Retirement? Former India Cricketer Makes Big Claim About His Exit

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer believes Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket may have been influenced by dissatisfaction with how the situation surrounding his exit unfolded.

Jaffer feels the former India captain still had more to offer in the longest format and that the circumstances leading to his departure could have been handled differently.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer suggested that Kohli appeared unhappy with the way events played out, while stressing that the exact reasons behind the decision would remain unclear until the batter himself addressed them.

"Yes, absolutely. I mean, it seemed like Virat was a bit bitter about how things were handled," Jaffer said, as quoted by India Today.

Highlighting Kohli’s popularity and his value to Test cricket, Jaffer added that the batter’s presence continued to attract spectators to stadiums and questioned whether his international career in the format needed to end when it did.

"A player like Virat, he draws crowds to the stadium; he has such a massive following. He definitely could have played more Test cricket. Until we hear directly from Virat what the actual situation was, we won't know for sure."

Kohli’s retirement announcement on May 12, 2025, came after a period of uncertainty over his future in Test cricket. The former captain had reportedly been keen to continue playing red-ball cricket and was preparing for India's tour of England.

His appearance for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy fixture in January 2025 had also underlined his willingness to return to domestic cricket.

However, reports suggested that developments in April changed the situation. Kohli was reportedly left disillusioned and subsequently informed the selectors that he did not wish to be part of the England tour.

Efforts by people close to him and some officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to persuade him to reconsider his decision were unsuccessful.

For Jaffer, Kohli’s preparations for the England series made the circumstances surrounding his retirement particularly noteworthy. He indicated that the situation could have been dealt with more carefully, although he stopped short of identifying those responsible.

"But I mean, he was preparing; he was gearing up for the England tour. So, all those things could have been handled better. As I said, regarding certain individuals, things could have been managed better," Jaffer said.

Kohli brought the curtain down on a 14-year Test career, having established himself as one of India's most influential batters in the format. He finished with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries.