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Indian batting icon Virat Kohli ruled out any possibility of returning to Test cricket, saying that he is "done with it".
Virat was speaking at the launch event of the sportswear brand one8, a brand where he is a co-founder, in the national capital on Sunday. Famous host and comedian Danish Sait, observing that one of the shoes of the brand cost 9,230 rupees, the same number as his Test runs, asked the 37-year-old if he would like to return to Test cricket in order to score more runs and boost the item's profitability, to which Virat humorously replied, "I would rather undersell, I'm done with it (Test cricket), thank you." Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May last year, marking an end to an illustrious 14-year-old career which saw him dominate a variety of conditions, regions, and opponents in whites, both as a batter and captain. In his Test career, the 36-year-old made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and the best score of 254*. He is India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs). Between 2016 and 2019, Virat had one of the strongest batting primes ever for a Test cricketer, piling up 4,208 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties in 69 innings and the best score of 254*. This also included seven double centuries, most by a captain in Test cricket history. He was India's most successful Test captain, with 40 wins in 68 matches, since he first took over the reins in 2014 during the tour of Australia in the absence of an injured MS Dhoni. Later, while speaking in front of a packed crowd at Dwarka, Virat reflected on how his journey began as a cricketer in Delhi, and expressed happiness at being able to launch the brand where it all started for him. "Delhi is the place where everything started for me. I was born in Delhi, my cricket journey started in Delhi, and Delhi will always remain a part of me. So, to be able to launch One8 in Delhi after so many years, a vision, a dream to come true like this, being the co-founder, is something that I always dreamt of. I was not sure it was going to turn into reality, but it's the love of all of you fans over so many years that's got us to this moment," he added. (ANI)
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