Virat Kohli Retires From Test Cricket: 'Not Easy, But Feels Right'

NEW DELHI, May 12: After days of speculation, Indian cricket great Virat Kohli has confirmed his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect in an emotional post on Instagram.

After India Test captain Rohit Sharma confirmed his retirement from the longest format of the game, report of Kohli communicating the same intent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) emerged, sending shockwaves across the cricketing spectrum.

It was reported that the board is in talks with Kohli to make him change his mind, but it seems that the outcome was unsuccessful.

"It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life. There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever," he wrote on social media.

Virat also said that the decision to call it quits wasn't an easy one, but it felt 'right' to him. "As I step away from this format, it's not easy – but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude – for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way."

"I'LL ALWAYS LOOK BACK AT MY TEST CAREER WITH A SMILE. "#269, signing off," he concluded.

Kohli featured for India in a total of 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, with the highest score of 254. Be it home or away, Virat ruled the roost with his bat, making his runs do the talking. However, he will probably have one regret, not reaching the 10,000 run mark in Tests.

Kohli's retirement from the longest format of the game adds to the exodus of Indian veterans. Ravichandran Ashwin (in December) and Rohit Sharma (last week) have already called it quits, and now Virat has become the third one to follow suit. There have been talks over the future of senior pacer Mohammed Shami in the Test team too.

BCCI announces revised IPL 2025 schedule, tournament restarts with RCB vs KKR clash on May 17

NEW DELHI, May 12: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season will resume on May 17 with the clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru. The final will now be played on June 3 as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the revised schedule on Monday.

The IPL 2025 season was suspended last week due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan. A ceasefire was announced on Saturday, and hence, the path was cleared for the premier T20 competition to resume.

The fixture between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals will also be played again and the contest will go ahead on May 24 in Jaipur. Earlier, the match between these two teams was stopped after 10.1 overs in Dharamsala due to the tension between India and Pakistan at the border.

Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will be played on May 29 and 30, respectively, while Qualifier 2 will go ahead on June 1.

The venues for the playoffs have not been announced yet. “Venue details for the playoff matches will be announced at a later stage, the official statement read.

The last league stage game will be played on May 27, and it will be contested between Lucknow Super Giants and RCB at the Ekana. The first revised doubleheader will be on May 18, with Rajasthan Royals taking on Punjab Kings in the afternoon game in Jaipur. The evening fixture will see Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans squaring off in Delhi.

All the remaining league stage matches will be played at six venues: Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. Four matches will also be played at neutral venues (Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals in Delhi, Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals in Jaipur, SunRisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders in Delhi and Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians in Jaipur).

A total of 17 matches will be played across 6 venues, starting May 17, 2025, and culminating in the final on June 3, 2025. The revised schedule includes two double-headers, which will be played on two Sundays.

“After extensive consultations with government and security agencies, and with all the key stakeholders, the Board has decided to proceed with the remainder of the season,” the BCCI stated in its official release.

“The BCCI takes this opportunity to once again salute the bravery and resilience of India’s armed forces, whose efforts have enabled the safe return of cricket. The Board reaffirms its commitment to national interest while ensuring the successful completion of the league,” the board added in its statement.