Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, putting an end to speculation triggered by a cryptic “#269” in his recent social media post. He made the announcement on Instagram, days after Rohit Sharma retired from the longest format of the game.

Virat Kohli Retirement confirmed after cryptic post

The retirement came after Kohli shared a post on social media that looked back on his 14-year-long Test career. At the end of the post, he wrote: “#269, signing off.” The message led to speculation among fans, but the meaning became clear soon after.

The number “269” refers to Kohli’s cap number in Test cricket. It means he was the 269th player to represent India in Test matches. He made his debut in 2011 against the West Indies, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.

Virat Kohli: India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests

Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, ending a 14-year career in the format. The decision comes just before India’s five-match Test series in England, which begins on June 20 at Headingley and marks the start of a new World Test Championship cycle.

Kohli’s announcement follows the recent retirement of Rohit Sharma, meaning India will begin the next phase in Test cricket without two of its most experienced batters and leaders.

Virat Kohli: A career that began in 2011

Kohli ended his Test career with 9230 runs from 123 matches. He is the fourth-highest run-getter for India in this format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Rahul Dravid (13,265), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122).

He also scored 30 centuries in Tests, including seven double centuries — the most by an Indian. Only Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, and Don Bradman have more double hundreds in Test history.

Virat Kohli's Peak performance between 2016 and 2019

Kohli had a strong run from 2016 to 2019, scoring 4,208 runs in 43 matches. His average during this period was 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties in 69 innings. This phase helped establish him as a major figure in world Test cricket.

Decline in recent years

Since 2020, Kohli’s form dipped. He scored 2,028 runs in 39 Tests at an average of 30.72, with only three centuries and nine fifties.

In 2023, his performance briefly improved, with 671 runs in eight matches at an average of 55.91, including two centuries. However, his output fell again in 2024, with only 382 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 22.47.

Virat Kohli's Final appearances and last century

Kohli’s last Test series was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia between November and January. He scored 190 runs in nine innings, including a century in Perth. Before that, his most recent century had come in July 2023 against the West Indies.

He has not scored a home century since the Ahmedabad Test against Australia in early 2023.

Virat Kohli's stats in Test cricket

Matches: 123

Innings: 210

Runs: 9,230

Highest Score: 254*

Average: 46.85

Strike Rate: 55.57

Centuries: 30

Fifties: 31

Virat Kohli's Key milestones

19th on the list of all-time Test run-scorers

Sixth-most Tests as captain (68)

692 runs in the 2014–15 Australia tour (40th highest in Test history)

1,322 runs in the 2018 calendar year

Second-most double centuries in a single series (India vs Sri Lanka, 2017–18)

Second-most hundreds in a single series (India in Australia, 2014–15)

Most successful Indian Test captain

Kohli’s biggest contribution to Indian Test cricket came as captain. Between 2014 and 2022, he led India in 68 matches, winning 40 of them. This record makes him India’s most successful Test captain. In the overall list, only Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have won more matches as captains.

After stepping down from T20 Internationals following India’s World Cup win in the West Indies last year, Kohli is still expected to be available for selection in One-Day Internationals.