Virat Kohli, one of the standout cricketers of our time, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, leaving many in shock. While some were caught off guard, insiders say he had been considering this for a while. With a new World Test Championship cycle beginning, Virat felt changes were needed for both him and the team to move past a rough patch.

It’s said he was looking for a new challenge and wanted to take on the captaincy again during this transition. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had different plans. A report from Cricbuzz revealed that Kohli decided to step away from Test cricket after learning management was planning to hand the captaincy over to a younger player. He was eager for personal growth and a chance to revitalize his game, but felt restricted by the current setup compared to the previous one.

After struggling with his form for about three years and averaging just 32 runs, the 36-year-old felt he needed a fresh start. Without that, he didn’t see a reason to keep playing in the longer format. Reports suggest he spoke with Ravi Shastri, the former head coach, and reached out to Jay Shah from the BCCI, though it’s unclear how those talks influenced his decision. There was even supposed to be a meeting with Rajeev Shukla, a key figure in the board, but the ongoing political situation got in the way.

Additionally, Kohli had conversations with BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar a couple of times recently, but none of those chats changed his mind about retiring from Test cricket. Had the BCCI opted to begin the transition after the England series, both he and Rohit might have said goodbye after that five-match series. Instead, the board decided to move forward with a clear game plan, leading to this tough decision.