Retired Kohli Urges Youngsters to Embrace Test Cricket to Earn True Respect

Virat Kohli remains a firm believer in Test cricket, reiterating his faith in the importance of the longest format despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru ending their 18-year wait for an IPL title with a nerve-shredding six-run victory over Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

In the 2025 season of IPL, Kohli suddenly announced his international retirement from cricket and will be absent from India's next five-Test series against England over the course of the next two months. His last Test appearance was against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25.

Test cricket is still unmatched for Kohli. He reiterated that real respect in the cricket world is achieved by demonstrating oneself at this level of cricket.

"See, this is up there with the greatest moments of my career. But it still represents five rungs below Test cricket. That is how much I respect Test cricket. And that is how much I adore Test cricket.".

"So I would simply ask the young ones coming up, to respect that format. Because if you play Test cricket, you go around the world, people look you in the eye and shake your hand and say, 'Well done, you played the game really well'. So if you wish to gain respect in World cricket everywhere, take up Test cricket, and give your heart and soul to it. And when you emerge with wonders on the opposite side, then you acquire respect to the cricket world with legends like you melting hearts on the ground and off the ground," Kohli said on Tuesday.

Concluding his Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches, Kohli has an impressive average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. He ended his stint as India's highest scoring Test captain in terms of centuries (20), leaving way ahead of Sunil Gavaskar's 11. He stands globally as the fourth most successful Test captain with 40 wins behind Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41).