Former India coach Ravi Shastri has opened up on Virat Kohli’s shock retirement from Test cricket, expressing surprise at the timing of the decision while acknowledging the mental fatigue that may have driven it.
Kohli, who announced his retirement earlier this week, ends his illustrious red-ball career with 123 Tests, 9,230 runs, 30 centuries, and a captaincy record that includes 40 wins — the most by an Indian skipper in the format.
Speaking to The ICC Review, Shastri revealed that he had spoken to Kohli just a week before the public announcement. “His mind was very clear that he’d given everything to Test cricket. There were no regrets,” Shastri said. “But I must admit, Virat surprised me. I thought he had at least two to three years of Test cricket left in him.”
According to Shastri, the decision stemmed not from physical decline but from mental exhaustion. “You might be physically the fittest guy in the business — and he is — but if you’re mentally overcooked, that’s when your body sends you a message,” he explained.
Shastri, who worked closely with Kohli during a golden era for Indian Test cricket, attributed part of Kohli’s burnout to his intense personality and the constant public spotlight. “He has a bigger following than any cricketer in the last decade. Whether it was Australia or South Africa, he drew people to the game. There was a love-hate relationship — his intensity got under people’s skin.”
Kohli’s fierce competitiveness wasn’t limited to his own performances. “When the team was on the field, it was like he had to take all the wickets, take all the catches, and make every decision. That level of involvement is rare — but it comes with the risk of burnout if not managed,” Shastri noted.
Together, the Kohli-Shastri partnership delivered some of Indian cricket’s most iconic Test moments — a maiden series win in Australia, dominant away tours in the West Indies, and an end to a 22-year wait for a series triumph in Sri Lanka.
As Shastri put it, “There’s nothing left for him to prove. He’s captained teams to greatness, won an Under-19 World Cup, won World Cups — he's done it all.”
