Virat Kohli talks about life after Test cricket retirement

Dubai: Virat Kohli's unexpected retirement from Test cricket earlier this year, just ahead of a high-stakes series against England, shocked fans and sparked speculation about potential behind-the-scenes pressure. However, the 36-year-old has now opened up about his decision, describing the time away from the game as a "beautiful phase" spent with family.

Speaking to Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist on Fox Cricket Australia ahead of the toss in the first ODI against Australia, Kohli reflected on his break, "It’s been a long time off for me since I retired from Test cricket. I’ve just been catching up on life. I haven’t been able to do that in so many years. Spending quality time with the kids and family at home has been really special."

"The amount of cricket I've played over the last 15-20 years, I've actually not rested at all, if that makes sense. I've probably played the most number of games in the last 15 years in international cricket, combining the IPL as well. So for me, it was a very refreshing time off. I'm feeling as fit, if not fitter, than I've ever been before," he added

"You can just feel the freshness when you know you can play the game, and mentally you know what to do out there. It's just the physical preparation that really needs to be taken care of. At this stage, I realised that if my body is fit, if my reflexes are there, then the game awareness is already there."

Kohli revealed that watching cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virender Sehwag inspired him. He was also motivated by the Australian team's aggressive and intimidating style, which drove him to adopt a similar approach.

"Growing up watching cricket as a kid, when we used to wake up early in the morning and watch Test cricket in Australia, you'd see the ball flying off the pitch, the opposition in your face, and I used to feel like: wow, if I'd be able to step up in these conditions and against this opposition, that will be something that I could be really proud of as a cricketer," Kohli said.

"And that's the motivation that was set out for me early on, watching all the greats of our game from either side, not just the Indian cricket team, guys like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, even Virender Sehwag when he came in later, guys like that that I really looked up to," he added.

"But the Australian setup as well, how they played their cricket and how they were in your face all the time and trying to be intimidating and take the game on straight away - that was something that really inspired me to come here and try to do the same."

Kohli had already stepped away from T20 internationals after lifting the World Cup last year. His retirement from Tests followed after the 2025 IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after which he traveled to the UK before rejoining the Indian squad for the Australia tour.

His return to ODI cricket on Sunday in Perth, however, was far from ideal. Kohli was dismissed for a duck, caught at point by Cooper Connolly, as India stumbled to 24/2 in the seventh over.

Despite the setback, Kohli's ODI legacy remains formidable. In 303 matches and 291 innings, he has amassed 14,181 runs at an average of 57.64, including 51 centuries and 74 fifties. He is now just 54 runs short of surpassing Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs) to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history.

With 51 centuries in ODIs, Kohli currently shares the record for most centuries in a single format with Sachin Tendulkar (51 in Tests). One more ton would see Kohli claim the record outright.