Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar expressed disappointment at Virat Kohli walking away from Test cricket, yet continuing to play the less challenging ODI format. Manjrekar’s reaction came a day after Joe Root scored an incredible 41st Test century in the fifth Test of the ongoing 2025-26 Ashes.
Kohli retired from Tests last year ahead of the England tour after a torrid five-year stretch since the start of 2020. He finished his red-ball career with 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 123 outings, including 30 centuries.
Talking about Kohli’s Test retirement, while the other Fab Four members continue to go strong in the format, Manjrekar said on his Instagram handle:
“I just feel sad that people like Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson are really making a name for themselves in Test cricket. It was okay if Virat Kohli had just walked away from cricket and retired from all cricket. But that he has chosen to play One day cricket actually disappoints me more. Because this is a format for a top-order batter is the easiest format.”
He continued:
“As Joe Root attains new heights in Test cricket, my mind goes to Virat Kohli. He has walked away from Test cricket and it’s unfortunate that in the five years he struggled before retiring, he didn’t quite put his heart and soul into finding out the problems as to why he was averaging 31 for five years in Test cricket. That is for another time as to what he could have done.”
Joe Root and Steve Smith have each scaled the 10,000-run mark in Tests, while Kane Williamson is still going strong with 9,461 runs. The trio has already overtaken Kohli in Test centuries with 41, 37, and 33, respectively.
“Could have continued his fight to get back into form even if he was left out of a series” – Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar further stated that Virat Kohli’s fitness would have ensured he returned to the team through his domestic performances, even if he had been dropped from the Indian Test side. The champion batter endured a torrid Test season in 2024, averaging under 25 in 10 matches.
He started 2025 with only 23 runs in two Test innings, before walking away from the longest format.
“The format that really tests you is first, Test cricket and then T20 cricket has it’s different challenges. The other thing is because he’s so fit, supremely fit, you feel even more that he could have maybe continued his fight to get back into form even if he was left out of a series. He could have maybe gone down to first class cricket and played in England or Australia or more matches in India and tried to make another comeback. That would have made me truly happy,” said Manjrekar (via the aforementioned source).
He concluded:
“Obviously that’s his call, his choice. But when Joe Root, Steve Smith or Kane Williamson get hundreds or get runs, my mind goes to Virat Kohli with a sense of disappointment and a little bit of sadness. Because he cared so much for Test cricket.”
Despite retiring from Tests, Kohli continues to shine for India in the ODI format, scoring four consecutive 50+ scores, including two centuries, to finish the 2025 season.
Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
