Former UK PM Rishi Sunak reacts to Virat Kohli's Test retirement ahead of England Tour

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reacted to Virat Kohli's Test retirement ahead of India's tour to England. India are set to travel to England for a Test tour of five matches in June, however, Kohli's retirement from the format sent shockwaves as the series sits on the horizon.

Kohli on Monday announced his decision to hang his boots from the format. "It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life," Kohli said in his retirement statement on Instagram. Kohli amassed 9,230 runs after 123 appearances, averaging 46.85 while scoring 30 centuries and 31 fifties.

"There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for," Kohli added.

Meanwhile, the UK PM reacted to the decision



of the Indian veteran. "Sad we won't get to see Virat Kohli one last time this summer. He has been a legend of the game: a superb batsman, an astute captain and a formidable competitor who always understood the true value of Test cricket," said Sunak in a post on X.

A slew of wishes and tributes poured in after Kohli announced his Test retirement. "Congratulations Virat Kohli on a stellar Test career. Thank you for championing the purest format during the rise of T20 cricket and setting an extraordinary example in discipline, fitness, and commitment. Your speech at the Lord’s said it all - you played Tests with heart, grit, and pride," ICC chair Jay Shah wrote in a post.

"Congrats to my biscotti Virat Kohli on an epic Test career! Your determination & skill have always inspired me. True legend!" Kohli's RCB teammate and great friend AB de Villiers wrote. "Congratulations on a phenomenal Test career, Virat Kohli. As captain, you didn’t just win matches—you changed mindsets. You made fitness, aggression, and pride in whites the new standard. A true torchbearer of modern Indian Test cricket," former cricketer Irfan Pathan wrote on social media.