Virat Kohli "Will Not Say This In Public": Reason Behind India Icon's Test Exit Explained
Virat Kohli's sudden Test retirement came as a shock to many. The exact reason behind the call still remains unknown.
- Virat Kohli quit Test cricket just before the England series selection meeting
- He was reportedly preparing for the England tour and practising red-ball cricket during IPL 2025
- Tiwary suggested Kohli might have felt unwanted in the new Team India setup but "won't say this in public"
Over three months have passed since Virat Kohli announced his decision to quit Test cricket, but the batter has not yet broken his silence on the reason behind the sudden call. Kohli was reportedly preparing for the England tour and had even practiced with the red ball during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But just days before the BCCI selection committee meeting for the 5-match Test series against England, he decided to quit the format he unarguably valued the most.
Though the exact reason behind Virat's Test retirement is only known to him, former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has shed light on the heartbreaking call.
"No way. So he could have easily played for another three years minimum and four years. It was very surprising and shocking for all the cricket fans, including me as well, because all we knew was that he's so physically fit and he was preparing himself for the England series," Tiwary said on CricTracker.
While Tiwary maintained that he does not know the exact reason behind Virat's decision, it seems to have come as he wasn't feeling 'wanted' by the team in the new setup.
"I don't know what happened. What is the story behind the scenes? I think he was not feeling like he was wanted in Team India. Only he can say. I think he will not come out and ever say this thing in a public forum because the human he has become, he has evolved as a human being, I think he is very happy with what God has given to him. He is becoming spiritual as well. When someone becomes spiritual, they just leave all these things aside and focus on the present. They don't want to talk about the past. He has evolved as a human being; I don't think he will come forward and ever say what has happened behind the scenes," he added.
"But as a cricket lover, things that are happening around Team India, the cricketers like us who know a little bit, we all know what's happening behind the scenes. I think he did."
Virat Kohli
Manoj Tiwary