Kolkata : Modern day legend Virat Kohli recently hung his boots from test format, shocking the whole Cricketing world, leaving the space for youngsters.
Kohli played 123 tests for India, scoring 9230 runs including 7 double hundreds, 30 hundreds and 31 half centuries. He guided India to number 1 ranking under his leadership. However, after a sluggish Border Gavaskar Trophy and New Zealand series he announced Test retirement ahead of England series.
After winning IPL 2025, in an interview, Kohli displayed his love for Test Cricket. He said he values and loves Test Cricket to great extent. Even he ranks his maiden IPL win 5 levels under test Cricket.
He urged youngsters to value and respect Test Cricket, in this T20 era, as if anyone values and performs in Tests, people all over the world respects them. Hence, to earn that, youths should give their ‘heart and soul’ to the longest format.
“You know, this (IPL 2025 win) moment is right up there with the best moments I’ve had in my career. But it still marks five levels under Test cricket. That’s how much I value Test cricket. And that’s how much I love Test cricket. So I would just urge the youngsters coming through to treat that format with respect. Because if you perform in Test cricket, you walk around anywhere in 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 want to earn respect in world cricket all over, take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it. And when you walk out with wonders on the other side, then you gain respect in the cricket world with legends like yourself. Melting our hearts on the field and off the field.”
