Virat Kohli breaks silence on Test retirement: 'You know it’s time when...'

Nearly two months after surprising fans with his sudden retirement from Test cricket, Virat Kohli has spoken publicly about his decision for the first time.

The Indian cricket legend opened up during a heartfelt and jovial interaction at a charity event hosted by former teammate Yuvraj Singh in London on July 8 to raise funds for the YouWeCan Foundation.

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Addressing a packed audience and a stage graced by cricketing greats like Yuvraj Singh, Ravi Shastri, Kevin Pietersen, Chris Gayle, and Darren Gough, Kohli responded with humour when asked about his retirement. "I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it's time when you are colouring your beard every four days," he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd and fellow cricketers.

Kohli, 36, had announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12 through an emotional Instagram post, ending a remarkable 15-year red-ball career. "As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for," he had written.

A giant of Indian cricket, Kohli's Test record speaks volumes: 123 matches, 9,230 runs from 210 innings at an average of 46.85, 30 centuries, 31 fifties, and a record seven double centuries - the most by an Indian.

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His highest Test score remains an unbeaten 254, and his aggressive leadership was instrumental in scripting some of India’s most memorable overseas triumphs, including the historic 2018–19 Test series win in Australia.

Kohli’s retirement came just days after Rohit Sharma stepped down from red-ball cricket. Since then, Kohli had remained silent on cricketing matters, until this appearance.

At the event, he also extended his congratulations to India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill, for his record-breaking 269-run knock against England. Calling Gill a “star boy,” Kohli expressed pride in India’s 336-run win that levelled the five-match series.

Off the field, Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma were also spotted at Wimbledon, enjoying the Round of 16 match between Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur - a rare public appearance post-retirement.

Reflecting on his relationship with Yuvraj Singh, Kohli grew nostalgic, sharing how the southpaw and other seniors like Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan helped him settle into the Indian dressing room. “We shared a very good bond both on and off the field… These are the bonds I will cherish for the rest of my life,” he said, also recalling Yuvraj’s battle with cancer and remarkable comeback under his captaincy.

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