The emotional visuals of Ravichandran Ashwin telling Virat Kohli about his retirement and the duo hugging each other soon after are still fresh in everyone's memory.
But this time, it was Kohli's turn as he decided to step away from Test cricket on May 12, 2025.
When Kohli led the Indian Test team, Ashwin was his closest confidant and his go-to man in times of need. Very few players have spent as much time with Kohli as the 38-year-old.
Knowing the former captain in close quarters for over a decade, his retirement was as shocking to Ashwin. Like most fans, he thought the batter could have continued for a couple of more years
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Check out how Ashwin reacted to Kohli's retirement.
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What did R Ashwin say about Virat Kohli's Test retirement?
Addressing the retirement announcement on his YouTube channel, the former India player heaped praises on the career the Indian batter has had over the last 14 years; however, he wondered if the India number 4 could have played for a little bit longer.
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"There should be no doubts about crowning Virat Kohli as a bona fide Test great. [He is the] Greatest ever Test captain that India has had," Ashwin affirmed.
"There are many things, but as a captain, what really stood out is being a soldier of the team and being the leader of the team; his energy levels were taken for granted at times. As a cricketer, I have felt the weight of his energy when he wasn't playing some Test matches. That is something the team will definitely miss with Virat's exit," he added.
In the video, Ashwin continued to emphasize Kohli's energy on the field multiple times and wondered if he could have competed at the highest level for a couple of more years.
"It made me wonder what he ate before the match to develop such high energy levels. Even the news of his retirement makes me wonder if he still had a couple of years left in him."
"Virat Kohli, the batter, the experienced player, the fighter, will definitely be missed around the Test team. What really stood out, something even Rohit's fans is his energy. We have seen his energy levels that defined his batting, captaincy, and competitiveness," he further added.
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