As Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, the nation collectively drew in a sharp breath. He had sounded out the Indian cricket board three days ago; it was just a matter of time before he would tell the rest of the world. After 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries, in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85, the world’s most-followed cricketer will no longer be seen in his cricketing whites. The signs were ominous during last year’s Australia series. The cruel hands of time were scything through his form. Apart from a hundred in the first Test, he was tentative and confined to the fringes. With this decision now, Kohli walks into the sunset about three weeks before India embark on a crucial series in England. Just like his shot selections, there was no ambiguity about his call. And as always, he played it with his heart.
Kohli’s presence on and off the field attracted a following that could stir up hysteria. His was a rare brand. Just to put it in perspective, one of the most-followed athletes on social media is the richest cricketer in India with the highest brand value. Apart from the brand void, Kohli’s Test shoes would also not be easy to fill. He brought into the team a vibrancy that had been missing—the clenched-fist celebrations, the in-your-face attitude, the chest thumpings. He brought in a new energy after Sachin Tendulkar retired with equanimity and poise. Kohli may be gone, but cricket lovers will cherish his legacy forever.
With Rohit Sharma also announcing his retirement from Tests, the selectors and the board will have their hands full ahead of the England tour. They will have to find a captain as well as top-order talent—players not seen as stop-gap fills. Such epoch-ending calls are not new in Indian cricket—Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman had called it a day after a disappointing Australia tour in 2011. But there was a difference: they had a captain in M S Dhoni and a long home summer schedule for the youngsters to find their feet. This time, the new-look team under a new captain will be thrown into the deep end. It needs to be seen if they can master the challenge without the master.