Kohli after Tests: how the king rebuilt his game for one format

When Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, it ended one of the most successful Test careers by an Indian batter and captain. It also began a new phase: a player who had dominated all three formats would now focus on one-day internationals and the Indian Premier League.

The Test career in numbers

Kohli played 123 Tests between 2011 and 2025 and scored 9,230 runs with 30 centuries. As captain from 2014 to 2022 he led India in 68 Tests and won 40, the most by an Indian captain. Under him India reached the No 1 Test ranking and won a series in Australia for the first time, in 2018–19.

His captaincy changed the culture of the side. He demanded a strict fitness standard, introduced the “yo-yo” test as a selection requirement and built a pace attack — led by Jasprit Bumrah — that could take 20 wickets anywhere in the world.

Why he stepped away

His Test form had dipped in his final seasons, especially against the moving ball in Australia in 2024–25. With India preparing for a new cycle under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, Kohli decided it was time to hand over. His announcement came only days after Rohit Sharma retired from Tests, closing an era for Indian red-ball cricket.

He had already retired from T20 internationals in June 2024, straight after India won the T20 World Cup in Barbados, where he was player of the match in the final.

What changed in his preparation

With one international format, Kohli has fewer matches but more time to prepare for each series. He has spoken about protecting his body and choosing his training blocks carefully. Spending more time with his family in England, away from constant attention in India, has also been part of the change.

The IPL remains central. He has played every season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru since 2008, and after years of near-misses the team finally won the title in 2025 and retained it in 2026. In the 2026 final he was player of the match.

How his ODI game looks now

Kohli’s one-day batting has always been based on high-percentage shots and fast running. Recently he has added more early aggression, using the new ball to score quickly, as the modern game demands. His unbeaten 139 from 88 balls against West Indies in September 2026, with nine sixes, was an example: fluent, risk-controlled and far quicker than his early-career centuries.

He also passed 15,000 ODI runs in that match, joining Sachin Tendulkar as the only players to do so.

The leader without the armband

Kohli no longer captains India, but younger players still talk about his influence on standards: diet, fitness and professionalism. His example is visible in a generation of Indian cricketers who treat fitness as part of the job.

What comes next

Kohli has said the 2027 ODI World Cup in southern Africa will be his last World Cup for India. Until then, the focus is simple: stay fit, keep scoring and give India the best chance of winning the trophy that eluded his team in 2023.

A different kind of greatness

Many great batters retire from all formats at once. Kohli chose a different path, stepping back gradually and protecting his best format. It shows a player who understands his body and his strengths — and who still wants to finish his international career on his own terms.