'Once he is done playing...': Ravi Shastri gives his verdict on if Virat Kohli will ever coach Indian cricket team

Batting maestro Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 International cricket in June 2024, shortly after leading India to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup. However, fans were taken aback when he recently declared his unexpected retirement from Test cricket as well. With his departure from two formats, Kohli's appearances on the field will now be limited to One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Kohli has made it clear that he intends to participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup, indicating that he will not extend his career beyond that point. This suggests that fans have just two more years to witness the brilliance of Virat Kohli in action, a sentiment echoed by former Indian coach Ravi Shastri.

During a recent event with Royal Challengers Bengaluru(RCB), Kohli shared his thoughts on his future in cricket saying, “Once I’m gone, I’ll be gone. You won’t see me for a while.” 

The statement has left many fans astonished, and Ravi Shastri shares a similar sentiment regarding Virat Kohli's future. He believes that once Kohli retires, he will not participate in exhibition matches, leagues, or the Indian Premier League (IPL), nor will he assume any coaching responsibilities. According to Shastri, Kohli is likely to withdraw entirely from the public eye following his retirement.

“He is still around to serve Indian cricket in ODIs, but I also know that Virat will walk away from the game once he is done playing cricket. He is not the kind who would like to coach or take on the role of a broadcaster. I will miss him when India plays its first Test in England. He was a champion, and that is what I would like to remember – never conceding an inch,” Shastri told Sportstar.

Shastri expressed his belief that Virat could have continued his career for an additional two years and would have greatly appreciated the opportunity to see him compete in the forthcoming five-match Test series against England.

"I am sure Virat still had two years of Test cricket left in him. I would have loved to see him in England this summer. It would have been a good idea to hand him the captaincy for the tour, but he would know best why he decided to leave. Maybe mental fatigue drove him to decide because he was as fit as any other player in the team. He knew his body best, but the mind would have played the decisive role. I will not rule out burnout as the decisive factor in curtailing his career at a critical phase of Indian cricket."

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