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Ayush Badoni, who served as the captain of India's batting maestro Virat Kohli's last Ranji Trophy game, was surprised by the mainstay's decision to retire from Test cricket with the England tour on the horizon.
Virat's magnetism attracted thousands of fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium when he turned up to represent Delhi against Railways in the Ranji Trophy in January this year. Fans turned up in numbers to catch a glimpse of the hometown hero weaving his magic with the bat for Delhi for the first time since 2012. Even though the runs dried up from the 'Chase Master's' bat, it was still a memorable spectacle for the diehard fans. The Delhi skipper struggled to fathom the 36-year-old's decision and wrote on Instagram, "Never knew it's gonna be your last red ball game (with a heart emoji at the end)." On Monday, Virat penned an emotional message to end his Test journey as India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format. The 36-year-old's revelation comes a couple of days after his long-time compatriot Rohit Sharma confirmed that he had his last dance in the format during India's tour of Australia. Wishes poured in from around the globe to pay tribute to the modern-day legend's career. India's celebrated cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble, and others, congratulated the 36-year-old on his glorious 14-year journey. Virat's departure from red-ball cricket continues the trend of exodus from the Test format in the Indian setup. Before the Indian batting bigwigs, the illustrious frontline off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin called it a day on his international career midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year. The Indian stalwart announced his decision with a heartfelt note on Instagram, reflecting on how the Test format has evolved him and taught him lessons he will carry for life. "It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life. There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever," Kohli wrote on Instagram. In a career that rejigged the demands of the game, Virat's unparalleled contributions saw him rack up 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. (ANI)
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