It’s been a year since Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, and the decision continues to spark controversy among fans and former players. Joining the conversation, 1983 World Cup winner Kapil Dev admitted he was disappointed to see Kohli walk away from the longest format, insisting that the former India skipper still has the power to represent the country in red cricket.Kohli brought down the curtain on his successful Test career on May 12, 2025, ending an incredible journey of 14 years. He finished with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries, and remains India’s most successful captain with 40 wins in 68 matches.Reflecting on Kohli’s decision, Kapil said he would have preferred the star batsman to continue playing instead of calling time on his Test career.“I was not happy when he retired from Test cricket. It’s not about 10,000 runs or any other milestone. I felt that if he had stayed away from anger for six months, there was every chance that he would have played for India again,” Kapil told Sports Tak.
‘Come back, work hard and come back’
The all-rounder believes that Kohli has to remain patient, even if he is disappointed by the selectors or the team management.“If the selectors didn’t pick him, that’s fine, if the captain didn’t pick him, that’s fine. Come back, work hard, win cricket at home or wherever you play. He would have come back because he still has the skills of a test match player,” Kapil said.Kapil also compared Kohli’s fiery personality to that of tennis legend John McEnroe, pointing out that some top athletes do best when they are driven by emotion and tension.“He had this talent, even though he sometimes loved it too much. Looking at Virat, I remember John McEnroe. Until he fought, he couldn’t produce well,” Kapil said.“Some players, like Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin, put their heads down and let their performances do the talking. But others accept the challenges and do very well. That’s why I mentioned McEnroe. He always argued with the umpire. I can’t do that, but it was interesting to watch.
Kohli’s focus now on ODI cricket
Although Kohli has retired from Tests and T20Is, he continues to represent India in ODIs and will feature in the upcoming three ODIs against England from July 14.