Anurag Kashyap pens emotional note on Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, shares rare pic

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap penned an emotional note as a tribute to cricketer Virat Kohli who announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday. 

(Also read: Anushka Sharma shares message for Virat Kohli after his retirement announcement even as his fans blame her for it again)

‘You will be missed in the test cricket’

Anurag Kashyap took to his Instagram handle and shared a never-seen-before picture of a young Virat from his early days in domestic cricket. Virat can be seen wearing a white National Academy jersey and a red cap. With the picture, the Gangs of Wasseypur director wrote an emotional caption that read, “This young man who went on to rule the pitch and our hearts. Lots of love champ. You will be missed in the test cricket.”

Bollywood stars pay tributes 

Earlier in the day, Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal and Suniel Shetty also paid their tribute to the cricketing legend. Ranveer commented on Virat’s retirement post and said, “One in a Billion! Go well, King! ”. Vicky shared Virat’s retirement post to his Instagram stories and wrote, “You did it your way and that way will try be missed. Congratulations on an incredibly inspiring test career and thank you for the memories Champ! @viratkohli (crown emoji, white heart emoji, hands clapping emoji).”

Suniel Shetty posted a heartfelt note on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “You didn’t just play Test cricket Virat…You lived it. You Honoured it, breathed fire, wore your heart on your sleeve and your passion like armour. The roar. The grit. The obsession. The Heart. Take a bow, champ. The red-ball rests, but your legacy races on.”

About Virat’s Test career

Virat made his Test debut in 2011 and played 113 Test matches for the country. He scored 9,230 runs at an average of 48.67, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His highest score, an unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune, remains one of the finest innings by an Indian batsman in modern cricket. 

As Test captain, Virat led India in 68 matches, winning 40, the most by any Indian captain to date. India climbed to the No. 1 Test ranking and reached two consecutive ICC World Test Championship finals under his captaincy. His assertive leadership, emphasis on fitness and support to the fast bowlers transformed India into a dominant team in red-ball format of the game