The entire cricket community was shocked when Virat Kohli, who is unquestionably one of the most auspicious players to have ever played the game, said goodbye to the Test format on Monday. Although many were taken aback by the choice, insiders believe the batter had already made up his mind. Virat recognized that if he and the team were to break out of their recent slump, some things had to change as a new World Test Championship cycle got underway. According to reports, Kohli desired a fresh challenge—the chance to lead the team through this period of change by taking back the captaincy. However, the BCCI, or Board of Control for Cricket in India, had different plans.
According to a report published by Cricbuzz, Kohli decided to leave Test cricket after learning that the management had chosen to assign a younger player to captain. He desired fresh challenges for his own recovery and self-discovery. He was apparently not receiving the independence, atmosphere, and vibrations he desired under the current management. The atmosphere in the new dressing room was very different from the one in the old one.
The 36-year-old desired a new challenge after a bad run of batting form that lasted for about three years and during which he only scored runs at an average of 32. Unfortunately, he had no motive to continue his voyage in the whites without it.
According to the article, before making the final decision, Kohli conferred with his close buddy and former Indian team head coach Ravi Shastri. Virat also had a conversation with Jay Shah, the former secretary of the BCCI, though it’s unclear how much of it actually happened. One of the most powerful people on the board, Rajeev Shukla, was supposed to meet with him, but the Indo-Pak political situation did not allow for adequate time or space for that to occur.
Additionally, according to the source, Virat has recently been on the phone at least twice with Ajit Agarkar, the top selector for the BCCI. However, none of these discussions were able to alter his decision to leave the red-ball format.
Both Virat and Rohit would not have been able to continue and say goodbye after the five-match assignment if the BCCI had chosen to begin the transition process following the England series. However, the board desired to begin a new cycle with a clear strategy. So it was necessary to make a call.
