‘Virat Kohli will realise in a few years why he didn’t play Test cricket longer’: Kapil Dev won’t ask him to return

Kapil Dev feels Virat Kohli should have played Tests longer, saying the former India captain may realise in a few years that he shouldn't have retired.

It’s been over a year since Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket, but Kapil Dev still struggles to come to terms with it. Kapil, India’s first-ever World Cup-winning captain, feels Kohli should have continued playing the format longer and believes that perhaps a few years down the line, Virat would realise that he could have gone beyond 123 Tests.

Virat Kohli retired after playing 123 Tests for India (AFP)

Kohli retired from Tests on May 12, 2025, five days after Rohit Sharma’s announcement. He finished playing the format as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar. That he couldn’t complete 10,000 runs in the format will always remain a bitter pill to swallow, but since his retirement, Kohli has found a second wind in his career, scoring more and with greater consistency than ever before.

“I feel sorry that he retired from Test cricket. I don’t know why he did that. He knows the best, but as a spectator and a former cricketer, I feel he should have played it longer because he has that ability,” Kapil said while speaking to PTI.

Kohli's decision surprised Kapil

“Absolutely,” added Kapil after being asked whether he was surprised by Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket. “He should not have. As someone who likes his game and can assess it, he has this ability. I don’t know whether he is feeling bad today about stopping playing, but I think in a few years he will definitely realise why he didn’t play Test cricket longer. When you love the game, have passion for it, why retire when you can manage yourself. I can understand T20 can be totally different, but one-dayers and Test matches are his cup of tea.”

Kohli has received multiple requests from former cricketers to reverse his decision and return to the format he rejuvenated with his aggression and captaincy, becoming India’s most successful Test captain in the process. However, Kohli made it clear during this year’s IPL that his decision is final and that he is playing ‘just the one format’. Kapil, though, would not ask Kohli to reconsider. While he wishes Kohli had played more Tests, he does not feel he is in a position to tell a champion cricketer like him what to do.

“No. He is 37 and like a grandfather in cricket. So it’s not correct for people like us to advise him. He knows what’s best for him. And that’s it. As an outsider, I feel he should have played. As to whether he should come out of retirement, people like us shouldn’t advise. That’s his call, not ours.”