04 June 2025 : At last, after 18 years, Virat Kohli has finally gotten his hands on the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to win their maiden IPL title. But despite the magnitude of the occasion, Kohli, who retired from Test cricket on May 12, addressed the importance of the longest format.
Kohli’s Test retirement came as a shock to many as the former captain called time on his career ahead of the all-important England tour, where India are slated to play five Tests.
Kohli ended his Test career, having played 123 Tests, in which he scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. He smashed 30 centuries and 31 fifties in his 14-year-long career in whites.
While speaking with former Australia batter Matthew Hayden after the IPL 2025 final, Kohli said that RCB winning the tournament means the world to him, but it still ranks five levels under Test cricket.
“This moment is right up there with the best moments I’ve had in my career. But it still marks five levels under Test cricket. That’s how much I value Test cricket. And that’s how much I love Test cricket. So I would just urge the youngsters coming through to treat that format with respect,” said Kohli.
“Because if you perform in Test cricket, you walk around anywhere in the world, people look you in the eye and shake your hand and say, well done, you played the game really well,” he added.
Summary:
Kohli praises RCB’s IPL win but calls Test cricket “five levels below” higher, urging respect for the longer format after retirement.