Javed Akhtar is 'disappointed' with Virat Kohli: 'I sincerely request him to...'

A couple of days after star batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, Javed Akhtar has expressed his disappointment and requested him to "reconsider his decision". Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, May 14, the multiple National Award-winning lyricist-screenwriter wrote, "Obviously Virat knows better but as an admirer of this great player I am disappointed by his rather premature retirement from Test cricket cricket. I think there is still a lot of cricket in him. I sincerely request him to reconsider his decision." 

Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12. He wrote on his Instagram, "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."

"As I step away from this format, 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. #269, signing off," he concluded added.

Virat's wife and actress Anushka Sharma also penned a heartfelt note on his retirement from Test cricket. "They’ll talk about the records and the milestones — but I’ll remember the tears you never showed, the battles no one saw, and the unwavering love you gave this format of the game. I know how much all this took from you. After every Test series, you came back a little wiser, a little humbler — and watching you evolve through it all has been a privilege. Somehow, I always imagined you’d retire international cricket in whites — But you’ve always followed your heart, and so I just want to say my love, you’ve earned every bit of this goodbye", she wrote on her Instagram.

Obviously Virat knows better but as an admirer of This great player I am disappointed by his rather premature retirement from Test cricket cricket . I think there is still a lot of cricket in him . I sincerely request him to reconsider his decision.

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 14, 2025

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 a best score of 254 not out. 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).

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