Former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has stirred significant controversy by suggesting that Indian batting legend Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket to avoid potential exposure and failure in the upcoming England series.
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, a decision that surprised fans and experts alike. The announcement came just weeks before India’s high-profile five-Test tour of England, set to begin on June 20. Known for his fierce competitive spirit and record-breaking achievements, Kohli’s unexpected departure raised questions. Now, Panesar’s remarks have added fuel to those speculations.
“With Kohli, what has happened is that against the ball outside the off stump, the fifth stump line, especially in Australia on fast, bouncy pitches, he was struggling. So, he probably thought maybe the fact that in England it is going to swing a lot more, he probably hasn't worked out solutions in that corridor of uncertainty. And I think that's probably been one of the reasons why he thought to retire and put all his energy into RCB and ODI cricket for India,” Panesar said to PTI.
India’s Test side is now entering a new era. With Kohli and Rohit Sharma both out of the red-ball setup, young talents like Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Karun Nair are being groomed to carry the team forward. The England tour marks the beginning of the new World Test Championship cycle, and all eyes will be on how the team performs without two of its modern-day stalwarts.
'He Will Lead Us For A Long Time': Virat Kohli Praises Captain Rajat Patidar During RCB Felicitation Ceremony At Chinnaswamy Stadium; Video
A night of celebration turned emotional and historic as Virat Kohli heaped praise on Rajat Patidar, the young captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), during the team's felicitation ceremony at a packed M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The event followed RCB’s first-ever IPL title win, ending an 18-year wait after their dramatic six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final.
Amid roaring chants and fireworks, Kohli took to the stage and delivered a heartfelt tribute to Patidar, who led the side with composure and grit in the most crucial phase of the tournament. The stadium erupted in cheers when Kohli said, “So when we did our unboxing and we were going to call upon our new captain, I had requested you guys to back him and to support him. I said one thing very clearly—that this guy is going to lead us for a long, long time to come. Please welcome our captain, Rajat Patidar.”
Following Kohli’s rousing introduction, Patidar emerged from the tunnel holding the IPL trophy aloft, greeted by a thunderous ovation from the sea of red-clad fans who had waited nearly two decades for this moment. The sight of Patidar with the trophy at Chinnaswamy symbolized a changing of the guard and the beginning of a new chapter in RCB’s legacy.
