Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing world when he announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, at the age of 36. For the first time since breaking the hearts of millions of fans with this decision, Kohli publicly addressed his retirement. Speaking at a charity event organized by former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s foundation, YouWeCan, Kohli mingled with some of the sport’s legends, including his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate Chris Gayle. The entire cricket fraternity was present, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, alongside iconic figures such as Ravi Shastri, Sachin Tendulkar, Kevin Pietersen, Brian Lara, and Ashish Nehra.
Virat Kohli Opens Up on Test Retirement and Praises Ravi Shastri
When host Gaurav Kapoor invited Virat Kohli on stage, he managed to coax a rare reaction from the India cricket legend about his Test retirement. Gaurav mentioned how much everyone misses Kohli on the field, prompting the former captain to finally speak up.
“I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it’s time when you’re colouring your beard every four days,” Kohli joked, as reported by the Times of India.
Virat Kohli also took the opportunity to express his deep gratitude towards his former head coach Ravi Shastri. Their strong bond is well known, and Kohli credited Shastri for supporting and protecting him during the challenging early days of his career.
“Honestly, if I wasn’t working with him… what happened in Test cricket wouldn’t have been possible. The clarity we had together is very hard to find. It’s everything for cricketers to grow in their careers. Even he hadn’t backed me the way he did… those press conferences where he took the bullets from the front line. Things would have been different. I always have respect and regard for him, for being a massive part of my cricketing journey,” Kohli said.
Virat kohli with Yuvraj Singh 😍 pic.twitter.com/ye6OJJFjhd
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Virat Kohli fondly looked back on his early days in the Indian team, sharing the dressing room with legends like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan.
“We had a strong bond both on and off the field. I first met Yuvraj during a North Zone tournament in Bangalore. When I broke into the Indian side, he, Bhajju Pa, and Zaheer Khan really took me under their wing. They helped me grow as a player and made me feel at ease in the dressing room.
We shared a lot of fun moments outside the game and they gave me insight into the lifestyle needed to reach the top. These are relationships I will treasure forever. Watching him play in the World Cup was truly special, and what we learned afterward was shocking. Being so close to him, none of us could have imagined. Then his courageous fight against cancer, and the champion spirit he showed coming back to the team while I was captain — it was inspiring.”
Virat Kohli also reminisced about the memorable 2017 home series where both Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni scored centuries after early top-order collapses.
“I clearly remember a match against England in Cuttack during that series. The top-order fell early, and then Yuvi Pa played an incredible innings, scoring around 150, while MS scored about 110. I remember telling KL or someone that it felt like childhood days, watching cricket on the big TV at home. I have immense love and respect for him. Being here today is a privilege, and I wouldn’t do it for anyone else but him,” he reflected.
