It’s been more than a year since Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, the decision continues to spark debate among fans and former cricketers. Joining the discussion, 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev admitted he was disappointed to see Kohli step away from the longest format, insisting the former India skipper still had the ability to represent the country in red-ball cricket.Kohli brought the curtain down on his illustrious Test career on May 12, 2025, ending a remarkable 14-year journey. He finished with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries, and remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches. The batting great retired ahead of India’s tour of England, saying he had “given everything” to the format.Reflecting on Kohli’s decision, Kapil said he would have preferred the star batter to continue playing instead of calling time on his Test career.“I wasn’t happy when he retired from Test cricket. It’s not about 10,000 runs or any milestone. I felt that if he had stayed away from reacting in anger for six months, there was every chance he would have played for India again,” Kapil told Sports Tak.

‘Go back, work hard and make a comeback’

The legendary all-rounder believes Kohli should have remained patient, even if he had faced disappointment from the selectors or team management.“If the selectors didn’t pick him, it’s okay. If the captain didn’t pick him, it’s okay. Go back, work hard, score runs in domestic cricket or wherever you play. He would have come back because he still has the ability of a Test match player,” Kapil said.Kapil also compared Kohli’s fiery on-field personality with that of tennis legend John McEnroe, suggesting that some elite athletes perform at their best when driven by emotion and confrontation.“He had that ability, though sometimes he got a little too enthusiastic. Looking at Virat, I remember John McEnroe. Until he fought, he couldn’t produce his best performance,” Kapil said.“Some players, like Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin, keep their heads down and let their performances do the talking. But others embrace challenges and thrive on that intensity. That’s why I mentioned McEnroe. He was always arguing with the umpire. I could never do that, but it was fascinating to watch,” he added.

Kohli’s focus now on ODI cricket

Although Kohli has retired from Tests and T20Is, he continues to represent India in ODIs and will feature in coming three ODI’s against England starting July 14.