Former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth has expressed his disappointment over Virat Kohli’s sudden Test retirement. Kohli’s unexpected announcement on Monday, May 12, took fans and pundits by surprise. In an interview with RevSportz, Srikkanth stated that if he were the chairman of the selection committee, he would have advised Kohli to continue captaining the team in England before retiring.
“If I was the chairman now, I would say, ‘Boss, you captain the team, bring back glory to Indian Test cricket, and then leave Test cricket’,” Srikkanth remarked. He felt that the selectors should have convinced Kohli to lead the team in England and then retire, which would have been a fitting end to his Test career.
Virat Kohli’s Test career spanned 123 matches, during which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries. Srikkanth also reminisced about the time when he was the chairman of selectors and they selected Kohli for the 2011-12 Australia series. It was during this series that Kohli scored his first Test hundred on Australian soil.
Srikkanth revealed that they recognized Kohli’s exceptional talent and work ethic, which led to his selection ahead of others for the challenging Australian series. He praised Kohli for exceeding all expectations and becoming one of the greatest Test players from India.
About the author, Rishabh Vm, is an Indian sports writer at Sportskeeda covering Kabaddi, Hockey, Indian football, and Olympic sports. With around 3 years of experience, he has also worked with My Khel and interned at The News Minute, Times Network, and Deccan Herald. Rishabh holds an MA in Media and Communication Studies and has won the ‘Commentator of the Month’ award twice at Sportskeeda. His favorite athlete is Neeraj Chopra, and he strives to provide accurate information in his articles.
In conclusion, Srikkanth’s disappointment over Kohli’s Test retirement highlights the impact of the captain’s decision on Indian cricket. Kohli’s legacy as one of the greatest Test players will always be remembered, and his contributions to the sport will continue to inspire future generations.
