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2w ago

Ganguly Explains Kohli’s Retirement and Rohit’s Reluctance as Gill Takes Test Captaincy

Ganguly’s account of Kohli’s departure underscores the leadership shift that brought Shubman Gill to the helm of India’s Test side.

Virat Kohli, left, and Sourav Ganguly share a laugh during an event in 2018
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Rohit Sharma was reluctant to become Test captain after Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly

Overview

  • Sourav Ganguly revealed that Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, saying he felt “it was time to go” and made the decision independently despite the BCCI’s efforts to persuade him otherwise.
  • Ganguly said the board had hoped Kohli would continue as Test captain after stepping down from white-ball leadership but moved on when he declined.
  • The former BCCI president described how he persuaded Rohit Sharma to accept the Test captaincy in early 2022 by highlighting the prestige of leading India and easing Sharma’s workload concerns.
  • Rohit Sharma led India in 24 Tests between March 2022 and December 2024, securing 12 wins and nine losses, before announcing his Test retirement on May 7, 2025.
  • Shubman Gill was appointed as India’s new Test captain and made his leadership debut in the first match of the five-Test series against England beginning June 20, 2025.