Virat Kohli retirement: India great ends 14-year Test cricket career

“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no-one sees but that stay with you forever,” he added.

“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy – but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.

“I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude – for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”

Kohli has long been regarded as one of the four batting greats of his era, alongside England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, and has scored 30 Test centuries.

Only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar have scored more Test runs for India than Kohli, while he has the most centuries for an India captain with 20.

But his most recent Test ton, 100 not out in the first Test against Australia in November, was his first in 15 innings across 16 months.

During that series, he scored 190 runs in nine innings averaging just 23.75.

Only three tons have come in 39 Tests since January 2020. He averages 30.72 in that time.