Virat Kohli's Bold Exit: A Changing Era in Indian Cricket

Former Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh has applauded the "courageous" step taken by Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of a major series against England. Kohli's decision was revealed on May 12, catching the cricket world by surprise as his departure comes more than a month before the five Test matches set to begin on June 20.

This announcement follows soon after Rohit Sharma, Kohli's long-time teammate, concluded his own distinguished Test career. Waugh noted that such transitions are natural within any team as "great players" inevitably reach the sunset of their careers. Despite many believing Kohli had more to offer in the red-ball format, Waugh pointed out that his choice to retire exhibited undeniable courage.

"The dynamics within the Indian team are shifting," Waugh told ANI. "We've seen cycles like this before. Walking away from Test cricket is inherently challenging, especially for someone as legendary as Virat." Kohli's retirement signals a broader trend of Indian cricket veterans stepping down, following Ravichandran Ashwin's mid-series retirement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Kohli's 14-year stint saw him amass 9,230 runs and become India's fourth-highest Test scorer, all while infusing a culture of fitness and aggression into the team.

(With inputs from agencies.)