Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, just one month before his country's five-match series in England.
The 36-year-old former captain follows team-mate Rohit Sharma in stepping away from the longest format of the game.
Kohli is widely regarded as one of the finest batters his country, and the world, has ever produced.
He amassed an impressive 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches, ending with an average of 46.85.
Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from Test cricket, just one month before his country's five-match series in England
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Kohli scored 30 centuries throughout his Test career, including a top score of 254 against South Africa in 2019.
He also notched 31 fifties before bringing his time in the longest format to a close.
Announcing his decision on social media, Kohli reflected on his Test career with deep emotion.
"It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket," he posted.
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"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."
As captain, Kohli steered India to a long stint as world No 1 and secured their first ever away series win in Australia.
His record of 40 victories from 68 Tests makes him one of India's most successful skippers of all time.
Only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh won more matches as captain in Test cricket history.
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Kohli was considered part of cricket's 'Fab Four' alongside England's Joe Root, Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.
This elite group dominated Test cricket throughout the 2010s and early 2020s.
While his career ends during a period of batting inconsistency, Kohli was long regarded as one of the most destructive red-ball batters in the game.
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Kohli's fame in India is almost incomparable, with an enormous profile both domestically and throughout the cricketing world.
He boasts over 270 million followers on Instagram alone.
Beyond statistics, Kohli is known as one of cricket's biggest personalities, playing with ferocious intensity and competitiveness.
Virat Kohli is considered one of the best batters that cricket has ever produced
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He is rarely far from the heart of the action, even without a bat in hand.
According to reports, the Indian board were informed of Kohli's decision to retire back in April, before the upcoming England series.
The first Test begins at Headingley on June 20-24, followed by matches at Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford and The Oval.
