Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Virat Kohli may have felt he was not getting enough backing or importance from people within the Indian team before deciding to retire from Test cricket.
Kohli announced his Test retirement on May 12 2025, shortly after India’s tour of Australia. He had a difficult Border-Gavaskar Trophy, although he did score a century in the first Test in Perth.
Kaif feels Kohli’s decision may have been influenced by the environment around him at the time.
Kaif Says Kohli Looked Disappointed
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said he noticed a sense of disappointment in Kohli’s interviews around the time of his retirement.
“When I look at his interviews about this, I feel like there is some disappointment on his face. Even if his form was bad, you are talking about Virat Kohli,” Kaif said.
“It seemed that he felt like he was not getting importance and backing and the people within had no faith in him. I still think if he would have continued, he would have definitely made a comeback. He is known for comebacks,” he added.
Kaif also stressed that a poor run of form should not automatically mean that a player of Kohli’s stature is pushed aside.
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‘No One Is A Machine’
Kaif pointed to Kohli’s ability to come back strongly after difficult periods in his career.
He recalled the 2025 ODI series in Australia, where Kohli started with two consecutive ducks before responding with a strong performance.
“If he had been removed after those two ducks in Australia, would we have been able to praise him or look at such knocks from him now?” Kaif said.
“I can understand if it is a new player. But this is Virat Kohli. You cannot apply the same things to him as you do to others. Your form will go bad. No one is a machine or this is not a video game,” he added.
Kohli Still Going Strong In ODIs
Kohli has continued to make his presence felt in ODI cricket since retiring from Tests.
The former India captain smashed an unbeaten 139 in the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram. He also has four centuries and five fifties in his last 11 ODI innings.
His performances have once again highlighted his ability to bounce back when his form comes under scrutiny.
Kaif Wants Kohli To Play Beyond 2027
Kaif also feels Kohli could continue playing international cricket beyond the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Kohli has indicated that the 2027 World Cup could be his final appearance at the tournament, but Kaif believes his experience could continue to be valuable for India.
“He is fit and scoring runs. This will benefit Gill, who is a young captain. Look at the bowling, Gill is facing a tough time there due to the lack of senior players. The longer Kohli stays, the better it will be for Gill as a captain and for India overall that way,” Kaif said.
Virat Kohli will now be seen featuring in the second ODI against West Indies which will take place on September 30 at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.