Virat Kohli ought to have led India in the Test series against England: Ravi Shastri

Virat Kohli is far from finished with Test cricket, according to a recent statement made by former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Additionally, he believed that if he hadn’t withdrawn from the game’s longest format, it would have been wise to pass the captaincy for the forthcoming five-Test series against England.

Shastri hypothesised that the main cause of Virat Kohli abrupt withdrawal from Test cricket, the format he most enjoyed playing, would be mental exhaustion.

“I have no doubt that Virat had two more years to play Test cricket. I wish I could have seen him this summer in England. Giving him the tour’s captaincy would have been a smart move, but he would be the one to know the reasons behind his departure. He was as fit as any other player on the team, so perhaps mental exhaustion led him to make the decision. The mind would have been the deciding factor, but he knew his body best. In an interview with Sportstar, Shastri stated, “I won’t rule out burnout as the decisive factor in curtailing his career at a critical phase of Indian cricket.”

When he has finished playing cricket, he will leave the game: Shastri

The well-known analyst added that he believes Kohli will not choose to pursue a career in coaching or broadcasting, which is what most cricket players do after retiring from international competition.

“I am aware that Virat would leave cricket after he retires from playing, but he is still available to represent India in ODIs. His personality does not lend itself to coaching or broadcasting. When India plays its first Test match in England, I will miss him. I want to remember that he was a champion who never gave up an inch,” Shastri continued.

Virat Kohli was just 770 runs away from reaching the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket. He just announced his retirement from the sport after playing 123 matches (210 innings). He will only concentrate on playing for India in the 50-over format for as long as he can after retiring from T20Is last year.