FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Second Test - South Africa v India - Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa - January 3, 2024 India's Virat Kohli in action REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo
(Reuters) -Following are quotes and reaction after India batsman Virat Kohli announced his retirement from test cricket on Monday, bringing down the curtain on a sparkling career in the longest format of the game.
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL CHAIRMAN JAY SHAH
"Thank you for championing the purest format during the rise of T20 cricket and setting an extraordinary example in discipline, fitness, and commitment."
RAVI SHASTRI, FORMER INDIA HEAD COACH AND ALL-ROUNDER
"Can’t believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for Test match cricket in every way you played and captained.
"Thank you for the lasting memories you’ve given to everyone, and to me in particular. It’s something I will cherish for life. Go well, champ. God bless."
GREG CHAPPELL, FORMER AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN
"Kohli redefined expectations, challenged conventions, and symbolised the self-assured, unapologetic India of the 21st century," Chappell said in a piece on ESPN CricInfo.
"His departure leaves not only a statistical void but a seismic shift in energy - for there has never been another quite like him.
"No Indian captain had ever marshalled a team to such commanding overseas dominance. And no batter since Tendulkar had so unequivocally ruled in every continent."
JASPRIT BUMRAH, INDIA BOWLER
"From making my Test debut under your captaincy to reaching new heights together for our country, your passion and energy will be missed but the legacy you leave behind remains unmatched."
HARBHAJAN SINGH, FORMER INDIA BOWLER
"Virat, we’ve shared that era ... faced the grind together, lived the long days of Test cricket with pride. Your batting in whites is special — not just in numbers, but in intent, intensity, and inspiration. Good luck going forward."
IRFAN PATHAN, FORMER INDIA ALL-ROUNDER
"As captain you didn't just win matches — you changed mindsets. You made fitness, aggression, and pride in whites the new standard. A true torchbearer of modern Indian Test cricket."
SANATH JAYASURIYA, FORMER SRI LANKA CAPTAIN
"While the world celebrates your cricketing brilliance and records, what I admire most is your unwavering commitment to fitness and the sacrifices you've made behind the scenes."
YASHASVI JAISWAL, INDIA BATTER
"The impact you’ve had on test cricket, and on cricket in India as a whole, is immeasurable. To have had the chance to share the pitch with you — someone I looked up to for so many years — was more than just a privilege; it was a moment I’ll carry with me forever."
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
