Ex-India coach reveals chat with Virat Kohli before his Test retirement, says 'he has no regrets'

Virat Kohli announced his Test retirement last week on social media, breaking the internet. While millions continue to comment on his Instagram post, which now has countless likes, his former Team India head coach and a close ally, Ravi Shastri, disclosed his chat with batting great a week before his retirement call.

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Having worked with Kohli in different capacities before, Shastri knows a thing or two more about the modern-day great. Detailing what Kohli said to him before going public with his call, Shastri revealed Virat was clear (in his head) about his decision, adding there was no two ways about it.Shastri continued that Kohli has no regrets about retiring from Tests and that he gave it all in this format.

Meanwhile, the batting genius made his Test debut in 2011 and went on to play 123 matches, scoring 9230 runs at an average above 46. He completed 30 centuries and seven double hundreds, besides breaking plenty of records as a batter and captain.

"I did speak to him about it [his announcement], I think a week before that, and his mind was very clear that he'd given us everything," Shastri said on The ICC Review.

"There were no regrets. There were one or two questions I asked, and that's a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, 'Yes, the time is right'. The mind has told his body that it's time to go.

"He doesn't have regrets. Ideally, everyone might want [him] to carry on. But then, he looks at the bigger picture. He feels he can contribute massively in the one-day game. There's a lot of franchise cricket left for him in his life. The reason I think he will not have regrets is because he gave his everything," Shastri continued.

He’s dedicated, but burnout fear loomed

Shastri explained what it is like to be Virat Kohli.

"Individually, as a bowler, as a batsman, a player does his job, [and] then you sit back, " Shastri said. "But [with Kohli] when the team goes out, it's as if he has to take all the wickets, he has to take all the catches, he has to make all the decisions on the field.

"That much involvement, I would think there's going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn't take a rest if he doesn't compartmentalise how much he wants to play across formats, there is bound to be a burnout. Well, it's happened now, and he's pulled out of Test cricket. Unfortunately, because I still think he could have played two [more] years, but he's the boss. If his mind tells him that is enough, it's enough,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Kohli will continue to play the One-Dayers and franchise cricket for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.