Time to Move On: Kohli’s Quiet Exit and India’s Promising Test Future

Time to Move On: Kohli’s Quiet Exit and India’s Promising Test Future

By Rupesh Ranjan

Virat Kohli, once the poster boy of Indian cricket, may soon find himself on the sidelines of the Test arena. Though undeniably a modern great in white-ball cricket, Kohli’s recent red-ball performances have painted a different story.

The numbers don’t lie—Kohli has been a mediocre performer in Test cricket over the last few years. He failed to impress in the last Australian tour, struggled with consistency in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, and hasn’t scored a century on overseas soil in a long time. His reluctance to play under younger leadership—like that of Shubman Gill—has only added fuel to the speculation of his possible retirement from Test cricket.

Kohli never got the captaincy back after stepping down, and his body language in recent games reflects frustration more than hunger. A player of his stature must realize when the time is right to move on.

On the other hand, the Indian Test team is entering a golden transition phase. Young talents like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are hungry, technically sound, and fearless. In the bowling department, India boasts a dream arsenal—Bumrah, Siraj, and a second line of promising fast bowlers like Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep. The spinners are in safe hands too, with Ashwin still going strong and Kuldeep Yadav developing into a red-ball asset.

As Kohli’s red-ball chapter nears its conclusion, the future of Indian Test cricket looks not only secure but brighter than ever.