"Maybe mental fatigue drove him to decide"
After announcing his retirement from Test cricket, there is speculation as to what Virat Kohli will do once he has stopped playing cricket altogether.
According to former India Head Coach Ravi Shastri, Kohli could have led the Test team again.
India required a new Test captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format earlier in May 2025. But Kohli stepped away from red-ball cricket just days later on May 12, ending calls from fans and pundits for his return to leadership.
Shastri said reinstating Kohli as captain would have been the ideal move ahead of India’s tour to England.
He explained: “I am sure Virat still had two years of Test cricket left in him. I would have loved to see him in England this summer.
“It would have been a good idea to hand him the captaincy for the tour, but he would know best why he decided to leave.
“Maybe mental fatigue drove him to decide because he was as fit as any other player on the team.
“He knew his body best, but the mind would have played the decisive role.
“I will not rule out burnout as the decisive factor in curtailing his career at a critical phase of Indian cricket.”
Virat Kohli ends his Test career with 9,230 runs from his 123 Test matches.
Shastri described the former skipper as the defining cricketer of his era, and praised his ability to draw fans to the traditional format.
He continued: “For me, Virat will remain the most influential cricketer of the last decade.
“He had fans worldwide, especially those who turned up at Test matches to watch him bat like no one else.
“A batsman who could hit a boundary at will and someone who would pick the best bowler in the opposition camp to send a strong message.
“Undoubtedly the most scrutinised batsman in world cricket, he was also the best prepared to fight in the middle.
“His making people watch Test cricket will be an enduring legacy.
“The team will forever miss his wild celebrations at the fall of a wicket and the joy he expressed at a partner’s batting feat.”
Virat Kohli will continue playing ODIs before retiring from all forms of cricket.
For many ex-players, they get into coaching or punditry.
However, Shastri believes that will not be the case for Virat Kohli:
“He is still around to serve Indian cricket in ODIs, but I also know that Virat will walk away from the game once he is done playing cricket.
“He is not the kind who would like to coach or take on the role of a broadcaster.
“I will miss him when India plays its first Test in England. He was a champion, and that is what I would like to remember – never conceding an inch.”
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