Brian Lara says Test cricket needs Virat Kohli

Dubai: Amid all the speculation surrounding Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket, legendary West Indian batter Brian Lara said that Indian superstar batter should continue playing the longer-version.

"Test cricket needs Virat!! He is going to be persuaded. He is NOT going to retire from Test cricket. @virat.kohli is going to average above 60 for the remainder of his Test career," Lara posted on Instagram.

After his teammate and Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement, many reports suggested that Kohli had also informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to retire.

The rumours gained significance since India are all set to begin their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign with five high-stakes Tests against England, at Headingley from June 20 onwards.

According to the reports, Virat has been having such conversations with the board over the past month or so. If Virat indeed retires, it would mark the end of an illustrious 14-year career in the format, during which he has struck a staggering 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries.

He is also India's most successful Test captain ever, having won 40 out of 68 Tests with the captaincy tag around his name.

Apart from Rohit, decorated off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket last year in the middle of the Australia tour. With middle-order veterans Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara no longer in the set-up for a while and a decline in senior pacer Mohammed Shami's form after a long layoff from injury, Virat is the only senior around, alongside all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and pacer Jasprit Bumrah.