Credit: BCCI
Virat Kohli finally called off his Test career via Instagram post on May 12. The 36-year-old shared a long message on his post where he confirmed his retirement from the longest format of the game. “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,” Kohli wrote on Insta.
The number 269 represents Virat Kohli’s Test cap for India. It means that he is the 269th player to represent India in the longest format of the game and that’s the reason he mentioned “269 signing off’ at the end of his retirement post. The number was given to him when he made his Test debut against West Indies at Kingston on June 20, 2011 and was also featured in Kohli’s Test cap when he used to take the field in white.
Virat Kohli’s numbers in Test cricket
Virat Kohli had a memorable career in Test cricket from 2011 to 2025. He has played 123 Test matches amassing 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 with 31 centuries and 30 half-centuries. He has also smashed seven double hundreds in Tests which is most by any Indian player in the longest format.
Not just as a player, Virat Kohli also had a memorable career as Test captain of India. He remains the most successful Indian Test captain who led India to 40 wins in 68 Test matches. Under his captaincy, India registered some famous victories in Test cricket with some including a Test series win in Sri Lanka after 22 years in 2015, Test series win in Australia in 2018-10, Lords Test victory in 2021 and many more.
