Tendulkar Writes Heartfelt Message For Kohli After Retirement: 'You Inspired Countless Cricketers...'

In a piece of news that shocked Indian and world cricket at large, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12 right before India was set to tour England for a five-Test match series post the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

While there were reports of his Test retirement floating from a few days ago, it was expected that the BCCI and other seniors in the setup would be talking to Kohli in a bid to convince him not to retire at the moment as the team is going through a transition with R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma already having retired from the format. 

However, Kohli felt that his time was up, and he announced his retirement with an emotional statement on his official Instagram profile. 

As soon as he made the announcement public, reactions poured in from across India and world cricket. Amongst all of them, Sachin Tendulkar’s message to him really stood out as the Master Blaster remembered an instance with Kohli from his retirement back in 2013, which really touched him. 

After Kohli's retirement, the Master-Blaster posted on X (formerly Twitter) and said, "As you retire from Tests, I'm reminded of your thoughtful gesture 12 years ago, during my last Test. 

“You offered to gift me a thread from your late father. It was something too personal for me to accept, but the gesture was heartwarming and has stayed with me ever since. 

"While I may not have a thread to offer in return, please know that you carry my deepest admiration and very best wishes.”

Tendulkar praised Kohli for inspiring the next generation of cricketers. 

“Your true legacy, Virat, lies in inspiring countless young cricketers to pick up the sport. What an incredible Test career you have had! You have given Indian cricket so much more than just runs – you have given it a new generation of passionate fans and players. 

“Congratulations on a very special Test career,” Tendulkar said.