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STUMP VISION JANUARY 16, 2026 | The Indian Eye 37

Did Virat Kohli Leave Test Cricket Too Soon?

As ODIs Beckon, a Great Debate Returns

Even as Virat Kohli readies himself for another ODI series against New Zealand, questions linger over

whether Indian cricket’s modern icon walked away from Test cricket before the story was truly finished.

OUR BUREAU
Mumbai

s Virat Kohli walked into the nets at Va-
dodara ahead of the ODI series against New
AZealand, the familiar sound of bat meeting
ball felt reassuring. The cover drives were crisp, the
intent unmistakable, the body language unmistak-
ably Kohli. Yet, beneath the comfort of form and
familiarity, a deeper unease continues to ripple
through Indian cricket: did Virat Kohli leave Test
cricket too early?
That question refuses to fade, even months
after Kohli announced his retirement from the
longest format. Former India batter Sanjay Man-
jrekar gave voice to that lingering discomfort when
he admitted that Kohli’s exit from Tests left him
“sad,” particularly as contemporaries like Joe
Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson continue
to scale new heights in red-ball cricket.
Manjrekar’s argument is not rooted in nostal-
gia alone. It stems from the belief that Kohli still
had unfinished business in Test cricket. Despite
enduring a difficult five-year stretch where his av-
erage dipped to 31, Kohli never appeared physi-
cally diminished or mentally disengaged. On the
contrary, he remained one of the fittest cricketers
in the world, a standard-bearer for intensity and
professionalism. For Manjrekar, that made the Virat Kohlis (ANI file photo)
decision harder to digest. The sense was not that
Kohli was beaten by the game, but that he chose to not leave Test cricket as a peripheral figure strug- Sangakkara. Against New Zealand, his record is
walk away before attempting one final, full-throat- gling for relevance. He left as India’s fourth-high- formidable—1,657 runs at an average of over 55—
ed fightback. est run-scorer in the format and one of its most and the upcoming series feels like another oppor-
Test cricket, Manjrekar argued, is where great- influential captains. And yet, the comparison with tunity to reinforce his dominance.
ness is ultimately measured. It is the format that Root, Smith and Williamson is unavoidable. All And yet, this very excellence in ODIs sharp-
exposes flaws, demands patience, and rewards three endured lean phases. All three adapted. ens the central question. If Kohli can still summon
reinvention. Kohli, he felt, could have explored All three emerged stronger, adding layers to their such clarity, hunger and consistency, why not in
every possible route—county cricket, extended do- greatness. For many observers, Kohli seemed ca- Tests? Was the decision driven by the emotion-
mestic stints, even time away to recalibrate—be- pable of doing the same. al toll of prolonged scrutiny? By the exhaustion
fore calling time. The disappointment deepened What adds intrigue to the discussion is Kohli’s of constantly having to justify his place? Or by a
when Kohli chose to continue playing ODIs, which current form in limited-overs cricket. Far from fad- strategic choice to extend his white-ball longevity
Manjrekar described as the “easiest format” for a ing, he appears rejuvenated. Since October, he has in an era increasingly tilted towards limited-overs
top-order batter of his calibre. been in a lethal ODI purple patch, averaging an as- cricket?
Yet, Kohli’s decision cannot be viewed in iso- tonishing 146 in his last six matches. He was Player Ultimately, the answer belongs to Kohli alone.
lation from what he had already given to Test crick- of the Series against South Africa in December, He has earned the right to choose his battles. But
et. His 14-year journey in whites reshaped India’s scoring 302 runs in three matches, including back- cricket, especially Test cricket, has always thrived
identity in the format. Under his leadership, India to-back centuries. He returned to the Vijay Haz- on its unresolved stories. When Root raises his bat
became a result-producing machine at home and are Trophy after 15 years and looked effortlessly for another hundred or Smith scripts yet another
a fiercely competitive side overseas. Kohli did not fluent, piling up runs against Andhra Pradesh and improbable comeback, Kohli’s absence feels con-
just score runs—9,230 of them at an average of Gujarat as if time had folded back on itself. spicuous—not because he failed, but because he
46.85 with 30 centuries—he changed attitudes. Fit- Statistically, Kohli’s ODI career is entering might still have succeeded.
ness became non-negotiable. Aggression became rarefied air. He ended 2025 as India’s leading ODI As he prepares to face New Zealand in ODIs,
a virtue. Belief replaced hesitation, even in hostile run-scorer and is just 25 runs away from becoming Kohli remains very much alive as a cricketer. But
conditions. only the third batter to reach 28,000 internation- the question will persist, quietly and stubbornly: not
That legacy complicates the debate. Kohli did al runs, alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar whether he retired, but whether he retired too soon.

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