Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 13 (ANI): After star batter Virat Kohli’s announced his retirement from Test cricket, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor recalled meeting the cricketer “eleven years ago” when Anushka Sharma was shooting for ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’.
Taking to his Instagram stories on Monday, he shared Virat’s retirement post and recalled meeting him while shooting for the 2015 film ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’, which starred his wife and actress Anushka Sharma.
“We met eleven years ago on a cruise when Anushka was shooting ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’. I still remember how warm, humble, and down-to-earth you were- it left a lasting impression on me. Since then, I’ve been admiring you from afar-your discipline, passion, and the sheer joy and pride you’ve given us through your incredible achievements on the field,” Kapoor wrote in the caption.
He congratulated Virat for his achievements, saying, “Though we haven’t met again since, I’ve always been cheering for you. Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished. You may have retired from Test cricket, but you’ll never retire from the hearts of 1.4 billion Indians-and millions more around the world. Thank you, Virat.”
Kohli took to his Instagram handle and announced his decision to retire from the longest format of the game.”It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life. There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever,” Kohli wrote on Instagram.
“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off,” the post added.
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In his Test career, the 36-year-old made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and a best score of 254\*. He is India’s fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).
He made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies. While his first Test tour was a massive disappointment with just 76 runs in five innings, a young Virat made a name for himself with some serious counter-attacking knocks in the following years. His rise as a Test player started with his maiden ton against Australia at Adelaide in 2012, when he made 116 in 213 balls.
In a tour where no other Indian could touch 300 runs, and giants like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag looked a shadow of their dominant selves, Virat top-scored for India with 300 runs in four Tests, including a century and a fifty. From 2011 to 2015, he made 2,994 runs in 41 Tests at an average of 44.03, with 11 centuries and 12 fifties in 72 innings.
Between 2016 and 2019, Virat had one of the strongest batting primes ever seen in Test cricket, piling up 4,208 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties in 69 innings, including a best score of 254\*. This also included seven double centuries, the most by a captain in Test cricket history.
However, the 2020s have not been great for the superstar batter, with just 2,028 runs in 39 Tests at an underwhelming average of 30.72, with only three centuries and nine fifties to show in 69 innings. His numbers received a boost from a fine 2023, where he made 671 runs in eight Tests at an average of 55.91, with two centuries and two fifties in 12 innings.During this time, Virat battled some notable weaknesses in the format, particularly against deliveries outside the off-stump and against spinners.He ended last year with just 382 runs in 10 Tests at a shocking average of 22.47, with just one century and fifty in 19 innings.
His last Test outing was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour to Australia from November to January, where he made just 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75, with his century at Perth being a highlight.That century was his first since July 2023, when he hit a ton against the West Indies at Port of Spain. His last century at home came against Australia in early 2023 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Ahmedabad.Virat’s career has been about overcoming several setbacks and taking Indian cricket to new highs.
Be it smashing a peak Australian attack led by Mitchell Johnson for 692 runs, including four centuries, during the 2014-15 Australia tour, or announcing himself as the new captain, guiding India to ICC World Test Championship titles. He had a dream-like redemption tour to England in 2018, where he scored 593 runs with five fifty-plus scores, after managing just 134 runs in 10 innings during his previous tour to the UK. He also braved world-class bowling attacks in Centurion, Melbourne, Perth, Edgbaston, and at home, producing world-class knocks. The 36-year-old has given fans countless memories to replay and cherish forever. (ANI)
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