Virat Kohli’s shock announcement to retire from Test cricket has sent ripples through the cricketing world — and among the most surprised was his former Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh. He oversaw Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return after a gap of 12 years. The former India off-spinner has revealed that Kohli showed “no signs at all” of calling time on his red-ball career, especially with the crucial England tour just weeks away.
Did Kohli actually want to retire?
“Not at all,” Sarandeep told Star Sports when asked if Kohli had hinted at retirement. “He came to play red-ball cricket (Ranji Trophy), so he had no thinking like that. Even at that time, he was talking about the England series and said he wanted to score maximum hundreds — like he did in 2018.”
The 36-year-old had even rejoined Delhi’s Ranji squad earlier this year, featuring in the fixture against Railways — a move seen as preparation for the challenging five-Test series in England, which also marks the beginning of India’s WTC 2025–27 campaign. Although the Ranji Trophy appearance didn’t prove fruitful for Kohli, it stated that the modern-day great is still thinking highly about the Test format.
“We all thought he’d be on the England tour. He’s one of the fittest and most senior players. Especially in England, you need that kind of experience. Without him, I don’t know how this Indian team will manage,” Sarandeep added.
Kohli finishes with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, and a captaincy record of 40 wins in 68 matches. His final series — the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy — saw a lone century in Perth but also highlighted his struggles against seam movement, one of the few blemishes in his Test career.
While the world digests his departure, the timing of his retirement — so close to a marquee series — might remain an unsolved mystery. For someone still among the fittest in world cricket, the sudden decision has left fans and colleagues alike searching for answers. Test cricket will surely miss an enigma, named Virat Kohli!
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