Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has expressed his views on the Indian talismanic batter Virat Kohli’s retirement from the longest format of the game. The former Indian World Cup winner has reckoned that Kohli should have played Test cricket for more years and led the side for at least a few more years.
It’s important to note that Kohli bid adieu to the traditional format after enduring a poor Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. His retirement from the longest format of the game came on May 12, 2025, just before the start of the England Test series away from home.
While speaking on the YouTube channel KADAK, the former cricketer stated that Kohli led the Indian team to play an aggressive, fearless brand of cricket across formats, especially in Test cricket, and instilled a winning mentality.
“I do feel a little disappointed about Virat, as there was still a lot of Test cricket left in him. Virat gave Indian cricket a new direction. He brought aggression and showed the team how to win. But I don’t know what happened with Virat. I don’t know who the selector was at the time, but I think they made a mistake,” Madan Lal said on the YouTube channel KADAK.
“He should have been allowed to continue as captain. That’s my personal opinion. I believe there was some communication gap between them because, in my view, Virat could have continued as captain for another two or three years,” he added.
Virat Kohli ended his Test career as one of India’s greatest red-ball cricketers, accumulating 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, which includes 30 centuries in 123 Tests. Furthermore, the former cricketer also shared his views on the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the ODI World Cup 2027.
“Yes, absolutely, they should continue. There are two things to look at: fitness levels and performance. If they can maintain both, then they should keep playing,” he noted.
“I can explain this with Virat. He is one of the smartest cricketers I have ever seen in my life. He reads the game, understands the situation, and thinks accordingly. If three wickets have already fallen, he knows it’s his responsibility to bat in a way that takes the team to a score from where they can either fight or even win the match,” he observed.
“Earlier, people used to say that Virat didn’t bat quickly. It was never about batting fast. He reads the situation, understands the game, and plays according to what the team needs,” he concluded.
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