Ravi Shastri has questioned whether Virat Kohli's Test retirement was a result of burnout, stating that the India great "still had another two years of Test cricket left in him".
Writing for SportStar a week on from the announcement of Kohli's decision to hang up his Test boots, Shastri paid tribute to the place he holds in Indian cricket.
"I can rate Virat the best batsman of the modern era," wrote Shastri. "A complete batsman who came to eliminate his flaws and turn them into assets on the pitch. At one stage of his career, his average across all three formats was 50-plus... To me, he is also the greatest red-ball captain ever. Forty wins in 68 Tests as captain places him in a rare category."
Kohli announced he would retire from the Test format in a social media statement, in which he said: "It's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile."
The announcement of his decision came ahead of India's series against England, and shortly after Rohit Sharma's own announcement of his Test retirement. He finishes his career in the format with 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, and 30 centuries.
Also read: Virat Kohli's 30 Test hundreds, ranked from worst to best
Shastri: Kohli could have captained India in England Tests
In his SportStar column, Shastri questioned whether Kohli could have carried on as captain for the series in England, and extended his career into the next World Test Championship cycle. "I am sure Virat still had two years of Test cricket left in him," wrote Shastri. "I would have loved to see him in England this summer. It would have been a good idea to hand him the captaincy for the tour, but he would know best why he decided to leave. Maybe mental fatigue drove him to decide because he was as fit as any other player in the team.
"He knew his body best, but the mind would have played the decisive role. I will not rule out burnout as the decisive factor in curtailing his career at a critical phase of Indian cricket."
Speaking on The ICC Review shortly after Kohli's announcement, Shastri revealed that Kohli had spoken to him about the decision before it was made public. "There were one or two questions I asked," said Shastri. "And that's a personal conversation which, you know, he mentioned very clearly, there were no doubts in his mind, which made me think, 'Yes, the time is right'. The mind has told his body that it's time to go."
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