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    STUMP VISION                                                              MAY 22, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 45

                 Virat Kohli at a Career Crossroads

                as Indian Cricket Moves Beyond Its

                                     Golden Test Generation

               India’s modern batting icon faces the toughest phase of his career as retirement from Test cricket

                                           forces a redefinition of legacy, ambition and relevance.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                 outside off stump. Even in limited-overs cricket,
                                                                                                       the challenge is no longer about proving greatness
            Mumbai
                                                                                                       but about sustaining relevance in a format increas-
                     hen  Virat  Kohli  spoke  about  India’s                                          ingly shaped by fearless younger batters.
                     “golden era” in Test cricket this week, the                                          Yet writing off Kohli has always been dan-
            Wwords sounded reflective, almost nostal-                                                  gerous.
            gic. The fire remains, the intensity is still visible, but                                    His career has repeatedly followed cycles of
            the context has changed dramatically. For the first                                        crisis  and  resurgence.  From  the  difficult  tour  of
            time in nearly two decades, Indian cricket is moving                                       England in 2014 to his astonishing comeback there
            into a future where Kohli is no longer its central                                         in 2018, Kohli has built his reputation on adapta-
            figure in the longest format of the game.                                                  tion. His discipline, obsessive fitness standards and
                At 37, Kohli stands at perhaps the most deli-                                          hunger  for  competition  still  separate  him  from
            cate crossroads of his extraordinary career.                                               most cricketers of his generation.
                The  numbers  still  command  respect.  He  re-                                           What  complicates  matters  is  that  Kohli
            tired from Test cricket with 9,230 runs at an aver-                                        now  occupies  a  unique  emotional  space  in  In-
            age of 46.85 and 30 centuries, finishing as India’s                                        dian sport. He is no longer just a batter. He is
            fourth-highest  run-scorer  in  the  format.  As  cap-                                     a symbol of an era when India shed its overseas
            tain, he transformed India into a ruthless overseas                                        insecurities  and  began  playing  with  relentless
            side, winning 40 of 68 Tests and delivering historic                                       aggression.  That  legacy  ensures  every  innings,
            triumphs,  including  the  landmark  2018-19  series                                       every  celebration  and  every  lean  patch  carries
            victory in Australia. Yet statistics alone no longer                                       enormous scrutiny.
            define the conversation around Kohli. The debate                                              The transition is also psychological. For years,
            now  revolves  around  reinvention,  longevity  and                                        Kohli’s identity was inseparable from Test cricket.
            relevance  in  an  Indian  side  rapidly  embracing  a                                     It was the format he defended passionately and
            new generation.                                                                            the arena where he believed character mattered
                Speaking  on  the  RCB  Podcast  teaser,  Kohli                                        most. His latest comments carried traces of pride,
            looked back at the dressing room culture that de-                                          but also of closure. He sounded like a man look-
            fined his captaincy years. “A bunch of young guys                                          ing back on a completed chapter.
            who always wanted to play Test cricket for India                                              The question now is whether he can redefine
            having  the  opportunity  of  their  lives  as  a  young                                   himself once more.
            group,” he said.                                                                              Can Kohli become an elder statesman in In-
                That  line  captures  the  essence  of  the  Kohli                                     dia’s white-ball setup rather than its undisputed
            era.  India  under  him  was  not  merely  successful;                                     alpha figure? Can he continue adapting his game
            it was emotionally invested in fast bowling, fitness                                       to the modern T20 landscape without losing the
            standards  and  aggressive  cricket  overseas.  Kohli                                      intensity that made him great? And perhaps most
            made India believe it could dominate in South Af-  Kohli’s aggression, passion and confrontational energy   importantly, can he accept a future where Indian
            rica, England, New Zealand and Australia rather   shaped an entire cricketing generation (ANI file photo)   cricket’s  emotional  centre  gradually  shifts  else-
            than merely survive there.                                                                 where?
                His  leadership  style  was  built  on  shared  ac-                                       For  Indian  fans,  that  transition  will  not  be
            countability.  Kohli  explained  how  the  small  age   national cricket last year. Shami continues to bat-  easy. Kohli’s aggression, passion and confronta-
            gap among core players such as Cheteshwar Puja-  tle fitness issues. Rohit Sharma stepped away from   tional energy shaped an entire cricketing genera-
            ra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant   Tests alongside Kohli before the England tour. In-  tion. He made winning overseas feel normal and
            Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja   dian cricket has turned the page toward Shubman   elevated fitness into a national cricketing obses-
            created a dressing room without rigid hierarchies.  Gill and a younger leadership core.    sion. Few Indian cricketers have altered the cul-
                “There was no hesitation between seniors and   And that is where Kohli’s dilemma begins.  ture of the sport so fundamentally.
            juniors,” Kohli said. “Everyone felt like they had   Unlike  several  of  his  contemporaries,  Kohli   But  crossroads  define  sporting  legends  as
            responsibilities and ownership.”             still  remains  active  in  white-ball  cricket  and  the   much as triumphs do.
                That philosophy changed Indian cricket per-  IPL.  But  the  aura  of  inevitability  that  once  sur-  Kohli’s greatness is already secure. What re-
            manently. The team became fitter, faster and men-  rounded  him  has  weakened  over  the  last  few   mains uncertain is how the final act of his career
            tally tougher. But time has also caught up with that   seasons. The poor Test run that preceded his re-  will unfold — as a fading icon resisting time, or
            generation  together.  Pujara  and  Rahane  are  no   tirement  raised  uncomfortable  questions  about   as a champion capable of reinventing himself one
            longer central figures. Ashwin retired from inter-  reflexes, mental fatigue and technical vulnerability   last time.

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