Navi Mumbai: Former Indian cricketer and ex-chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar said that he expected star India batter Virat Kohli to continue playing Tests till the England tour, but added that the call to retire from the format is his and should be respected.
Before the England tour of five Tests kick-starting India’s ICC World Test Championship campaign, the 36-year-old Virat sent shockwaves in world cricket after announcing his decision to pull down the curtains on his 14-year, 123-match-long Test career.
Speaking to ANI, Vengasarkar, who scored 6,868 runs in 116 Tests for India with 17 centuries, said, “I expected him to play in the England series and take retirement after that. The series in England is going to be tough. His sudden retirement will affect the performance of the team.”
“He is such a great player, an experienced player. However, it is his personal call. He has played for 16-18 years, and it should be respected,” he added.
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 the 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 coming days. 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 could touch 300 runs for India 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 fifty. (ANI)
Also Read: China's Zheng beats Sabalenka for the first time to reach Italian Open semis
Also Watch: