Virat Kohli felt that the Test team did not want him: A former batter for India

According to Manoj Tiwary, a former batter for India, Virat Kohli may have declared his retirement from the Indian Test team because he felt unwelcome there. In May 2025, right before the five-match Test series against England, Kohli announced his retirement from the game.

His enormous fan following was shocked to learn of the transfer because Kohli had stated that he wanted to play in England and had even taken part in the Ranji Trophy 2024–25 in an attempt to go back to his best. Manoj Tiwary recently suggested that Kohli may have retired because he was shunned by the squad. He also mentioned that the former India captain won’t come out in the open as he has evolved as a human.

“I’m not sure what took place. What is the backstage narrative? I believe that he didn’t feel appreciated by Team India. He alone knows. He has changed as a person, thus I don’t think he will ever publicly discuss this because of who he has become. He seems really content with what God has given him, in my opinion. He is becoming spiritual as well. When someone becomes spiritual, they just leave all these things aside and focus on the present. They don’t want to talk about the past. He has evolved as a human being; I don’t think he will come forward and ever say what has happened behind the scenes,” Tiwary told

Additionally, Tiwary believed that Kohli still had three to four years left in his red-ball career, but everyone was taken aback by his abrupt retirement.

“He could have easily played for another three years minimum and four years. All Cricket fans, including myself, were shocked and taken aback because we all knew that he was in excellent physical shape and was getting ready for the England series. But as a cricket lover, things that are happening around Team India, the cricketers like us who know a little bit, we all know what’s happening behind the scenes. I think he did not like the atmosphere he was playing in,” he added.

After 123 Test matches and 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds and 31 fifties, Kohli announced his retirement. In 68 Test matches, he captained India, winning 40 and losing 17. In the meantime, Kohli’s next game will be an ODI series against Australia in October. His most recent appearance was at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he defeated Australia and Pakistan in game-winning innings.