Kohli’s Retirement: Sailing Through the 14 Years of Oceanic Might of His Career

By Shah Faisal 

From scoring his first hundred in his 14th innings against a red-hot Australian side, in a series that served as a watershed moment for Indian cricket, where several senior players left the format, to a long, barren run without a century, Virat Kohli saw it all in his Test career. He failed, succeeded, failed again, and rose again. And finally, announced his retirement from the most prestigious form of cricket. 

For 14 years, he walked onto the field, took guard, spun the bat in both hands, placed it on his shoulder, and looked around the ground like a man in control, ready to choose where, when, and how to strike. 

This is how he went through his career. 

2011
Kohli began his Test journey in the West Indies, facing the harsh realities of the format. His first four innings were 4, 15, 0, and 27. A rough start for someone who would become a modern great. He ended the year with 202 runs from 9 innings, including two fifties and two ducks. 

2012
Batting alongside a struggling Indian team in Australia, Kohli was under pressure after a duck in the first Test. But he fought back with a gritty 116 in Perth—his first major Test highlight. He also scored a century against New Zealand and England later in the year. Kohli ended with 689 runs from 16 innings and three hundreds, planting the seeds of belief in his own greatness. 

2013
Kohli began the year with a century (107) against Australia and ended it with another overseas gem—119 at the Wanderers in South Africa. Scoring in those conditions is a nightmare for many subcontinent batters, but Kohli showed early signs of being cut from a different cloth. He finished with 616 runs, two hundreds, and an average of 54. 

2014
This was a year of extremes. Kohli scored a hundred in New Zealand but then faced a brutal tour of England, where James Anderson dismissed him repeatedly. Kohli ended the series with just 134 runs across five Tests. But the same year, he redeemed himself in Australia, scoring twin hundreds in Adelaide—brilliant innings in a lost cause, but a defining moment. He finished 2014 with 847 runs at 44.58 and four centuries—three of them in Australia. 

2015
He began the year with a century against Australia and followed it with another against Sri Lanka. But against South Africa, he struggled, scoring just one fifty. He ended with 640 runs at an average of 42.6. 

2016
This marked the beginning of his peak. Kohli scored his first double century against the West Indies, followed by more against New Zealand and England. In fact, he ended the year with 1215 runs, four hundreds, and an average of 75.94—the highest by any batter that year. 

2017
Like 2016, this year began with a double hundred (204 vs Bangladesh). Kohli amassed three double centuries, including two back-to-back against Sri Lanka. With 1059 runs at 75.64 and five centuries, Kohli was now the gold standard. Six double centuries in two years—only a genius could do that. 

2018
Kohli’s dream run continued as he scored 1322 runs at an average of 55.08, with five centuries. He conquered South Africa and, more importantly, England—scoring 149 and 103, overcoming his 2014 demons. He now had hundreds in all four SENA countries and was the complete batter. 

2019
He scored 612 runs at 68.00, including a double century (254*) against South Africa. By the end of 2019, Kohli had 27 Test hundreds in 84 matches, including six double tons. 

2020
The world shut down due to COVID, and Kohli’s form stalled too. For the first time since 2011, he didn’t score a Test hundred. In six innings, he managed just 116 runs at 19.33. This marked the beginning of a mental and technical battle that would stretch for years. 

2021
The decline continued. Kohli managed just 536 runs at 28.21 with no hundreds—only four fifties and four ducks. A far cry from the man who once scored double centuries with ease. 

2022
This was perhaps Kohli at his lowest. He played 11 innings, scored above 50 just once, and crossed 26 only thrice. Six consecutive innings yielded less than 25. He ended the year with 265 runs at 26.50. His aggression battled his patience—and his patience lost. Kohli was no longer just out of form; he was mentally stuck. 

2023
A small comeback. After five innings without a fifty, he finally scored a towering 186 against Australia on a flat track. He added another century against the West Indies. The year ended with 671 runs at 55.92 and two hundreds. The shadow of Kohli was returning. 

2024
A defining year, but a fragmented one. India won the T20 World Cup, and Kohli delivered in patches. He scored a hundred in Australia and played a key role in a Test win. But a lean patch in South Africa and a 4–0 whitewash in New Zealand meant inconsistency returned. He ended with 417 runs at 24.53, with one hundred, one fifty, and one duck. 

2025
This year marked the end. Kohli played just one Test—the fifth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He scored 23 runs across two innings. A quiet goodbye to a roaring career: 1 match, 23 runs, average 11.50. 

Kohli’s journey changed colours the way a person does through life. It had everything: a simple beginning, a glorious youthful peak, a slow, aching decline, and a self-written retirement. His career wasn’t just about runs or records—it was a life lived in whites. A complete cycle, from raw energy to thoughtful withdrawal. A tale of fire, reflection, and unmatched passion.