Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma Retire from Test Cricket: End of an Era in Indian Cricket

The end of an era! Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two pillars of Indian cricket, have officially announced their retirement from Test cricket. Their departure marks a significant moment in Indian sports history, making headlines in "current affairs March 2025" and featuring prominently in every daily GK update. Here’s a comprehensive look at their legendary careers, records, and the impact of their retirements on Indian cricket.

Virat Kohli: Test Career Highlights

Test Matches: 123

Innings: 210

Runs: 9,230

Average: 46.85

Strike Rate: 55.57

Centuries: 30

Fifties: 31

Double Centuries: 7

Highest Score: 254*

Test Debut: June 2011 vs West Indies

Most Test Runs for India: 4th (after Tendulkar, Dravid, Gavaskar)

Most Test Centuries as Indian Captain: 20

Test Captaincy: 68 matches, 40 wins (India’s most successful Test captain)

Notable Records:

Led India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia (2018-19)

ICC Test mace winner (No.1 team) for 5 consecutive years

Only Indian to score 4,208 runs at a 66.79 average in a 4-year period (2016-19)

2nd most double hundreds in a series (vs Sri Lanka 2017-18)

4th most hundreds in a series (4 in Australia 2014-15)

Kohli’s aggressive leadership and consistency made him a modern great, shaping a new era for Indian Test cricket.

Rohit Sharma: Test Career Highlights

Test Matches: 67

Innings: 113

Runs: 4,301

Average: 40.57

Centuries: 12

Fifties: 18

Double Century: 1 (Highest: 212 vs South Africa, 2019)

Test Debut: November 2013 vs West Indies (scored 177)

Most Sixes in a Test Match: 13 (vs South Africa, 2019)

All Test Centuries in Wins: 12/12

Most Sixes by an Indian in Test Cricket: 88 (9th overall globally)

Record 7th-wicket Partnership for India: 280 runs with R Ashwin (Debut Test)

First Player to Hit Two Hundreds in Debut Test as Opener: 176 & 127 vs South Africa, 2019

Test Captaincy: 24 matches

Notable Away Century: 127 at The Oval, 2021 (vs England)

Rohit’s elegant batting and adaptability, especially as an opener, made him a unique force in the longest format. His leadership saw India reach two ICC World Test Championship Finals and a historic Test series win in Australia.

Key Takeaways: Legendary Records at a Glance

Virat Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches.

Kohli is the only Indian to average nearly 67 over a four-year period in Tests.

Rohit Sharma holds the record for most sixes in a Test match (13) and for India in Tests (88).

All of Rohit’s 12 Test centuries came in winning causes-a global rarity.

Both players debuted against West Indies and scored centuries in their debut series.

Kohli led India to its first Test series win in Australia; Rohit was pivotal in the 2020/21 win down under.

Both captains have been instrumental in India’s rise as a Test cricket powerhouse in the last decade.

Impact on Indian Cricket & Competitive Exam News

With both stalwarts stepping away, India faces a major transition in Test cricket. Their retirements are major topics in "Atharva Examwise current news" and "competitive exam news" for 2025, especially as the team prepares for the next World Test Championship cycle without its most experienced leaders.

Summary / Why this matters for exams

Current Affairs Relevance: The retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is a top headline in May 2025, crucial for "daily GK update" and all competitive exams.

Exam Focus: Questions may be asked on their career stats, records, and the impact of their leadership on Indian cricket.

Leadership & Legacy: Both players not only set records but also transformed Indian Test cricket culture-important for sports, leadership, and general awareness sections.

Transition in Indian Cricket: Their exit signals a new era, making it a potential question in upcoming UPSC, SSC, and Banking exams.

Stay updated with Atharva Examwise for more such current affairs and in-depth analysis tailored for competitive exam aspirants.

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