Former India opening batsman Wasim Jaffer has voiced the view that Virat Kohli’s abrupt retirement from Test cricket was influenced by a sense of bitterness over how the situation was managed. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer said Kohli “was a bit bitter about the way he was treated,” adding that the star’s popularity could have translated into many more Test appearances had circumstances been different.
Timeline of retirements and the England tour plan
On 12 May 2025, Kohli announced his decision to step away from the longest format of the game. The announcement came after a period of speculation about whether he would feature in India’s next Test series. Within five days of Kohli’s decision, teammate Rohit Sharma also declared his retirement from Test cricket on 7 May 2025. Sharma’s statement was particularly striking because, during the final Test of the preceding Australia tour, he had insisted that he had no intention of retiring.
Jaffer highlighted that Kohli had been preparing for an upcoming England tour. According to the former batter, Kohli was eager to play the series and had even spoken about the prospect of scoring three or four centuries in England. The former Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh corroborated this view, recalling that Kohli discussed his plans while representing Delhi in the Ranji Trophy in early 2025. Singh said Kohli wanted to feature in the England tour, was keen to post multiple centuries, and had considered playing two India A matches ahead of the series.
Ajit Agarkar, who was chief selector at the time, offered a slightly different timeline. In his own account, Agarkar said Kohli “obviously reached out in early April and said he wants to finish.” The variance between the two narratives—Kohli’s own discussions in early 2025 and Agarkar’s recollection of an April outreach—adds to the uncertainty surrounding the exact motivations behind the retirement.
Jaffer’s assessment of Ajit Agarkar’s tenure
Jaffer’s comments about Kohli’s retirement were made while he was evaluating the three‑year tenure of Ajit Agarkar as India’s chief selector. Agarkar assumed the role in July 2023 and concluded his service in October 2026. During his period in charge, India achieved notable success in white‑ball cricket, securing two T20 World Cup titles (2024 and 2026), a Champions Trophy in 2025, and an Asia Cup victory.
While Jaffer praised these achievements, he also expressed reservations about how senior players were handled. He pointed to the decision to drop Suryakumar Yadav after Yadav had captained India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title. Jaffer also raised concerns about the selection treatment of bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, as well as younger prospects Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Balancing the triumphs with the perceived shortcomings, Jaffer assigned Agarkar a rating of 7 out of 10. He said, “We have done very well in white‑ball cricket. We won two World Cups, the Asia Cup, and the Champions Trophy. So we have won trophies. I would give him 7 marks out of 10. I think how he handled some people could have been better.”
The assessment underscores a broader debate within Indian cricket about the management of senior talent versus the pursuit of fresh blood. Jaffer’s remarks suggest that, despite the trophy haul, the handling of established players like Kohli and Sharma may have contributed to their decisions to retire from Tests.
Following Agarkar’s departure in October 2026, the board has not yet appointed a permanent chief selector. Pragyan Ojha is currently serving as the interim selector, overseeing a transition period that will shape the next phase of India’s player management strategy.
In the wake of Kohli’s and Sharma’s retirements, the Indian cricket establishment faces questions about the future composition of the Test side. Both players had previously signalled an intention to continue, and both were regarded as central figures capable of influencing match outcomes. Their exits, occurring within a single week, have left a noticeable void at the top of the batting order.
Jaffer’s observations, while reflective of his personal perspective, add a nuanced layer to the public discourse. By linking Kohli’s retirement to perceived bitterness and by critiquing Agarkar’s handling of senior players, Jaffer invites stakeholders to reconsider the balance between performance results and player relations. Whether the board will adjust its selection philosophy in response remains to be seen, but the conversation sparked by Jaffer’s comments is likely to persist as India prepares for upcoming overseas tours, including the England series that Kohli had reportedly been eager to contest.
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