Group items tagged

Virat Kohli, famous Indian batsman, has declared his immediate retirement from Test cricket. In 123 Test matches, the former captain of India amassed 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds. As cricket moved to three formats and a vibrant franchise ecosystem, Kohli also left as India's most successful Test captain and a passionate champion for the longest format. "It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket," Kohli said on Instagram on Monday, May 12. To be honest, I had no idea the path this format would lead me down. It has put me to the test, molded me, and given me lifelong lessons. "Playing in whites carries a very particular meaning. The long days, the quiet grind, and the little moments that nobody notices but that stick with you forever. It's difficult for me to leave this format, but it feels right. It has returned far more than I could have imagined after I gave it everything I had. "I'm leaving with a heart full of appreciation for the game, the teammates I played with, and everyone who helped me feel like I was seen. "I'll always grin when I think back on my Test career. #269, concluding." Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, Kohli's decision to leave Test cricket marks a significant change that Indian cricket hasn't seen since the departures of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in 2012 and then Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Months after being a member of a squad that won the ODI World Cup, Kohli made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies at Sabina Park. After a difficult first year of adjusting to the longer format, he settled in in 2012 with a brilliant 116 against Australia in Adelaide, a place that would hold great meaning for him. He returned to the South Australian capital for India's subsequent tour in 2014, where he led the team as a stand-in captain and scored twin hundreds in a close loss. Following MS Dhoni's retirement in Melbourne a few weeks later, Kohl

Fast bowler Ben Sears, who signed with Yorkshire for the 2025 campaign, will get there in time for the team's second County Championship match of the year at Headingley against Worcestershire. When Sears, 27, took five wickets at Christchurch in 2024 against Australia, including four for ninety in the second innings, he demonstrated his raw pace for New Zealand. This was his lone Test match yet. Previously, in 2021, he made his T20I debut against Bangladesh. The club has also drawn comparisons with his countryman and former Yorkshire foreign star Lockie Ferguson. He will be joined at Headingley by fellow New Zealand fast Will O'Rourke, who has signed for the T20 Blast. "I can't wait to get over to Headingley and start playing with the guys," commented Sears. "I hope I can add to the fantastic signings that have already been made. In any season, it's critical to establish the mood early. There are several important games in that first block, and I'll be prepared to start the team as strongly as possible. "Ben is a true talent who can get some extra bounce when he bowls," stated head coach Anthony McGrath. I'm eager to get him over and begin working with him because he'll be a real handful during the early part of the year when pitches can be slower or greener." Cricket General Manager Gavin Hamilton also said: "The club's ability to draw in such gifted bowlers as Ben is evidence of Yorkshire's appeal on a global scale. Ben is a talented player who will add something extra to the team that will be vital this season. We are overjoyed that he has committed, and we can't wait to have him visit Headingley in April.