Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes the team’s think tank and BCCI could have handled Virat Kohli’s Test retirement in a better way. Shastri said he would have appointed Virat Kohli as India’s new Test captain after a disappointing Australia tour.

Kohli could only manage 190 runs in five Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia at an average of 23.75. The veteran scored a fine hundred in the opening Test at Perth but failed to carry his form in the rest of the series as he was troubled outside off-stump channel. 

Kohli amassed 9230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries. In the last 69 Test innings since 2020, Kohli has managed only 2028 runs at an average of 30.72, including just three centuries.

Before 2020, Kohli accumulated 7202 runs in 141 Test innings at an average of 54.97, including 27 centuries.

Speaking on Sony Sports, Ravi Shastri said, “It’s when you go, that’s when people will realise how big a player he was. I feel sad that he is gone, the way he’s gone. I think it could have been handled better. There should have been more communication. If I had anything to do with it, I would have made him captain straight away after Australia.”

Meanwhile, it is well known that Shastri and Kohli share a great bonhomie with each other. Kohli was seen hugging Shastri in a playful manner after RCB lifted their maiden IPL title at Ahmedabad.

After announcing his retirement from T20Is and Test cricket, Kohli would only be seen playing in the ODI format for India. 

The opening Test match between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley, from June 20 onwards.