If Slump Lasts For Five Years…: Irfan Pathan Boldly Justifies Virat Kohlis Test Retirement

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan expressed his views on batting legend Virat Kohli’s recent career trajectory, suggesting that while Kohli deserved support during his initial slump considering his substantial past contributions, the prolonged patience shown in later years may have come at the team’s expense. Between 2016 and 2019, Kohli was in exceptional form, amassing 4,208 runs in 43 Test matches at an average of 66.79, including 16 centuries and 10 half-centuries, establishing himself among the world’s best batsmen and leading India as captain.

However, Kohli’s performance dipped afterward, going through a barren phase between 2020 and 2022 without a Test century for three years. Addressing this period, Pathan stated that Kohli’s initial slump justified backing, but maintaining that patience for several years was unwise.

“Virat Kohli had a slump in 2019-2020. You can see my social media of that time  I backed Kohli a lot,” Pathan told Lallantop. “I feel that when a big player faces his first slump, he should be backed. He deserves it too, because he won many matches for the team. But if this slump lasts for five years, then it is not right. In the end, the team is the most important.”

Technical Deficinacies

Pathan also pointed out a recurring technical flaw in Kohli’s game, highlighting how the batter was repeatedly dismissed outside the off-stump, an issue he believed should have been corrected more effectively.

“When a player gets out in the same way, the opposing team will get you out with Plan A itself. They will not need to go to Plan B. It is the job of a champion player to take you from Plan A to Plan B,” he explained. “The problem with Virat Kohli in Test cricket was that he was getting out in the same manner continuously. This does not mean that he is a bad player. He is a great player. But what is happening is also true. We have to tell what is happening, with details.”

BGT END

After a disappointing series in Australia during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, prior to the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. In his last five-Test matches, Kohli managed to accumulate 190 runs. He is currently active only in the one-day international format, but it remains uncertain whether he will extend his career in limited-overs cricket or choose to retire soon. Overall, in his Test career, Kohli played 123 matches, scoring 9,230 runs with an average of 46.85. He recorded 27 centuries and 28 fifties, with a highest score of 254 not out.  His ability to consistently score runs made him an indispensable player in the Indian batting lineup. His upcoming international assignment is a three-match ODI series in Australia scheduled for November. This series could be critical in determining the BCCI’s plans for both Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s role with the team as India will be prepping for the 2027 World Cup in Africa. Reports also suggest that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli may feature in this Australia tour as their final series, marking the end of an era for the duo with the Men in Blue.