Fresh angle in reasons behind Virat Kohli's Test goodbye: ‘That formed a part of his retirement,' says Nasser Hussain

Lauding Virat Kohli or revolutionising Indian Test cricket with his unmatched “aura, swagger, and passion,” former England captain Nasser Hussain added a fresh angle to the reasons behind the legendary Indian cricketer's Test retirement when many former cricketers believed he could have carried on for another two years at least. As Kohli bid farewell to the format on Monday, announcing his retirement after a distinguished 14-year journey, Hussain reflected deeply on the massive impact Kohli had on the game. India's Virat Kohli during the 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final(AFP)

The timing of Kohli's decision follows closely on the heels of Rohit Sharma's announcement to retire from Tests, adding emotional weight to the announcement. Both of these pillars of Indian cricket stepped away from the longest format within a week of each other, leaving behind a massive void in the team ahead of five crucial Tests in England.

Kohli, who concluded his career as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests with 9,230 runs from 123 matches, leaves an enduring legacy as both a player and a captain. Under his leadership, India experienced unprecedented success, claiming 40 wins out of 68 Tests and achieving the No. 1 ranking for an impressive 42 months.

Hussain, speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, said, "I have been a massive Virat Kohli fan over the last 14 years – his stats speak for themselves – but he was so much more than that. It was his aura, swagger, and passion. We know Indian cricket fans, and the game means so much to them. They want their captain to show them what it means to the team, and no one embodied that passion for cricket in India more than Kohli.

"He was an unbelievable player. He took India to No. 1 in the world, and they stayed there for about 42 months. He completely changed the way they play cricket. Whoever takes on that mantle has got something to live up to."

Nasser on why Kohli must have retired from Test cricket

Kohli amassed 30 Test centuries and stood shoulder to shoulder with cricketing giants like Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson – the quartet of which was commonly known as the ‘Fab 4’. During the peak of his powers, Kohli was considered the best among the four batters.

Hussain said it was not acceptable to Kohli to just be a “normal cricketer” and that may have played a part in him deciding to call it quits, just 770 runs shy of 10000 Test runs.

Hussain noted, “He is the ultimate winner, he sees the end goal as a win, and he is desperate for that. Everything for Kohli is about winning. Why do you think he's so good in run chases? He can't go on the field and not be a hundred per cent, he can't ever go: 'I'll just do my best today.' That may have formed part of his retirement decision, he doesn't want to be a normal cricketer, just doing a little bit here and there. He made India into the force they are today.”

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