Virat Kohli Indirectly Blames Gautam Gambhir, Indian Team Management for Early Test Retirement

Virat Kohli led India's Test team from 2014 to 2022, winning 40 of 68 matches, and ensuring a dominant five-year run at top of the ICC rankings.

Virat Kohli Indirectly Blames Gautam Gambhir, Indian Team Management for Early Test Retirement

Virat Kohli with Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

In Short
  • Virat Kohli announced his early retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, after a 14-year career.
  • Kohli indirectly criticized Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar for making him feel he needed to prove his worth in the team.
  • He emphasized the need for a positive team environment and called for honesty from team management regarding his role.

Virat Kohli recently made a surprising disclosure about the events leading up to his early Test retirement announcement last year. His comments have ignited controversy and are now seen as an indirect dig at Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar.

Virat Kohli, India’s most successful red-ball captain, had officially announced his retirement from the format on May 12, 2025, bringing the curtains down on a monumental 14-year career. He stepped away from Test cricket as one of the most prolific run-scorers, with 9,230 runs in 123 matches.

Many believe that his retirement was prompted by his inability to achieve high scores in his final Test series, the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where he only managed 190 runs. 

Solely focusing on his ODI career with the Men in Blue after announcing his retirement from both Tests and T20Is, Kohli, however, hinted at some frustrations that he has had to cope with since then, especially with regard to his current role within the Indian team. He also made a striking revelation about the reason behind his sudden retirement from Test cricket, on a podcast with sport presenter Mayanti Langer. 

The 37-year-old made an alleged indirect critique of Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, suggesting he was forced to prove his worth despite a decade-long commitment to Indian cricket.

During the podcast, Kohli stressed the importance of a positive team atmosphere. He stated that his primary goal is to contribute positively to the team environment, an aim he cannot achieve if he is continuously required to justify his place. He said:

My perspective is very clear. If I can add value to the environment that I am a part of and the environment feels like I can add value, I will be seen. If I am made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I’m not in that space.

Emphasizing his diligent preparation and work ethic, Kohli exclaimed that he felt it was time for him to announce his retirement from Test cricket last year. Furthermore, Virat Kohli urged ‘people’, supposedly referring to the team management and selectors, not to give out mixed signals about his role within the side. He demanded they be ‘honest’ or simply remain quiet and let him play his game, adding that a player’s performance cannot be guaranteed throughout the year.

I am being honest to how I approach the game. I put my head down. I work hard. I am very thankful to God for giving me everything that I have been given in my cricketing career. And I feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity. And when I arrive to play, I put my head down.

Kohli also talked about the ‘invasive’ nature of IPL content creation, admitting that he is exhausted by the constant filming behind the scenes. He called upon administrators to establish boundaries between a player’s private life and their preparation routine.

RELATED
CSK’s Anshul Kamboj Scripts Unwanted IPL Record to His Name After Poor Outing Against LSG

When will Virat Kohli play for the Indian ODI team following IPL 2026?

Virat Kohli is enjoying another impressive IPL season, having scored 484 runs across 12 matches so far, at an average above 50 and a strike-rate of 165.75. The tournament is entering its final phase, with the play-offs approaching after the remaining league-stage games.

Virat Kohli ODIs
Virat Kohli might turn up to play for India in the 50-over format, in the three home ODIs against Afghanistan. (via India Today)

Following the IPL, Kohli might then be seen in action against Afghanistan. The Afghans will tour India for a multi-format series, including a Test match and three ODIs, starting June 6. The 50-over leg begins on June 14, with the three ODIs to be hosted in Dharamshala, Lucknow, and Chennai. India will then play another white-ball series against England away from home, after a short T20I tour to Ireland.  

In fact, it will be a trip back home for Kohli, who has been residing in London for the past few years. The Men in Blue will play three ODIs and five T20Is against the Three Lions, with Kohli and Rohit Sharma expected to be a part of the One-Day squad. The first ODI will be played on July 14, in Birmingham; the second ODI on July 16, in Cardiff; and the third and final ODI on July 19, in London.

In preparation for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, Kohli may participate in all of India’s ODI matches scheduled for this year. The Indian team is set to host the West Indies for a three-match ODI series, followed by another three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Read More: