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We cannot think of Indian cricket without picturing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. So when these two modern-day giants stunned the cricketing world by announcing their retirements from Test cricket within just five days of each other, the nation was left reeling. This double exit shattered the long-standing tradition of slow, graceful transitions in Indian cricket, replacing it with a jarring void. Adding to the shock, former Indian cricketer Karsan Ghavri has claimed that both stalwarts were forced out prematurely by internal politics within the BCCI and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee—despite their clear desire to continue in the longest format.
The news hit harder because both players had made it clear, through their words and actions, that they weren’t done with red-ball cricket. Kohli had even turned up for the Ranji Trophy with Delhi, openly stating his ambitions of adding more centuries in England. Rohit, on the other hand, spoke passionately about the upcoming Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy during his IPL break, suggesting that he was eagerly looking forward to one of the marquee Test series of his career. Their plans, however, were seemingly cut short by forces off the field.
Karsan Ghavri, who himself donned India’s whites in the 1970s, minced no words in expressing his disappointment. “He [Kohli] should have definitely continued playing for India easily, probably for another couple of years. But something really forced him to retire. And unfortunately, when he retired, he was not even given a farewell by the BCCI. Such players, such a great player who has done such great service to BCCI, India cricket and Indian fans, should be given a grand and fabulous farewell,” Ghavri said on the Vickey Lalwani Show. His comments reflect the sentiments of millions of fans who believe legends of this stature deserved more than a quiet Instagram announcement.
Kohli walks away as India’s fourth-highest run-getter in Tests, agonizingly short of the 10,000-run milestone. More importantly, he remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 victories, including the historic 2018–19 series win in Australia that changed the perception of Indian cricket abroad. Rohit’s Test career may not have sparkled as brightly, but his resurgence as an opener in 2019 gave Indian cricket a new solidity at the top. Both exits, therefore, feel like unfinished stories—chapters closed before their final flourish.
“This is due to internal politics within the BCCI,” Ghavri alleged, calling it a case of “petty politics” that robbed Indian cricket of two more years of its finest batsmen. His words also highlight how this moment breaks away from the tradition of graceful farewells. From Ganguly to Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, and Tendulkar, Indian cricket legends have historically bowed out in a phased, celebrated manner between 2008 and 2014. Kohli and Rohit, by contrast, exit abruptly, leaving behind speculation, disappointment, and a glaring silence from the board.
In the end, their retirements don’t just mark the departure of two great players—they symbolize a shift in how Indian cricket handles its legends. Whether it was truly politics or simply a ruthless vision for the future, the outcome is the same: Indian Test cricket has lost two of its brightest stars, not with a grand farewell, but with the quiet thud of an Instagram post.
**This news was published on Times of India on 16th August, 2025.
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