Former England opener Nick Compton suggested that a possible disconnect between Virat Kohli’s traditional approach and the current mindset of the Indian team might have influenced his decision to retire from Test cricket just before the UK tour. The 36-year-old shocked the cricketing world by announcing his Test retirement on social media before the England series.
Kohli ended his Test career as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer, amassing 9,230 runs at an average close to 47 across 123 matches. His tally of 30 Test centuries also ranks fourth among Indian batters. Sharing his views on Kohli’s sudden retirement during a chat with Revsportz, Compton remarked:
“I’ve heard that the newer Indian setup has its own methods – maybe it didn’t allow him to function in the environment he preferred. Sometimes, new regimes want complete control, and that may not have suited someone like Kohli.”
He further added:
“It’s nearly impossible to stay equally hungry for all formats. Maybe the management could’ve helped him by managing his workload better, giving him time off. I don’t know what internal conversations were had, but I would’ve liked to see him play another two years.”
Nick Compton Hints At Possible Kohli Comeback
Nick Compton feels that Virat Kohli might still make an unexpected comeback to Test cricket. While Team India have shown resilience in their first series without the star batter during the ongoing clash against England, they currently trail 1-2 after four matches. The final Test is set to begin at The Oval on July 31.
“I thought he’d definitely chase down 10,000 Test runs. Maybe we haven’t seen the last of him. Maybe there’s a swansong still to come,” said Compton (via the aforementioned source).
Despite his stellar Test career, Virat Kohli struggled in the 2024/25 season, averaging just 22.47 with one century in 19 innings during series defeats to New Zealand and Australia. A week before his retirement, Rohit Sharma also stepped away from Test cricket.
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