Virat Kohli News

Virat Kohli's decision to retire from Test cricket has robbed the format of one of its most compelling practitioners - and, indisputably, its most powerful advocate.

Former captain Kohli is regarded as one of the best batters his country, and the world, has ever produced scoring 9,230 runs for India in the longest form of the game from 123 matches.

RICHARD GIBSON: Unless they can persuade him to reconsider, it would represent India's third such farewell from one of their golden generation in the space of six months.

Kohli is understood to have told the Indian hierarchy the time is right for him to step away given that the series against Ben Stokes' team signals the start of a new World Test Championship cycle.

The 35-year-old batting maestro dropped the bombshell about his future on Wednesday, revealing that he's stepping aside to give the next generation of Australian stars a chance to shine.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: The final will be India's fifth game in a row in Dubai following their refusal to play in Pakistan, but their coach angrily denied his side had enjoyed an 'undue advantage'.

Favourites India are through to the Champions Trophy final after a serene 84 from Virat Kohli was the cornerstone of a convincing four-wicket win over Australia in Dubai.

Andrew Fekete was a late-blooming cricketer who finally hit his stride at the age of 29, paving the way for a dramatic - and ultimately heartbreaking - near miss at Test level

RICHARD GIBSON: How long Kohli continues as an international batsman will more than likely come down to the decision of the 36-year-old himself. Let's face it, dropping him is akin to heresy in India.

RICHARD GIBSON IN BHUBANESWAR: Jacob Bethell says he's already had a taste of the adulation that comes with playing for Indian cricket's equivalent of Manchester United.

Pat Cummins' wicked sense of humour was on full display when the Australian cricket captain took part in a recently released ICC Champions Trophy promotion for Prime Video.

RICHARD GIBSON: My phone was lighting up this week at a rate I haven't seen since Jos Buttler nearly knocked me out with a cricket ball.

Former star wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has joined Ricky Ponting in lashing out at the Australian selectors' treatment of Konstas after his stunning Test debut against India.

Sam Konstas had one of the most memorable Test debuts in recent memory when he got under India's skin at the MCG on Boxing Day, then followed that up by twisting the knife at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The teenage sensation got under India's skin from the first over of his debut innings at the MCG, and kept getting into the visitors' heads as Australia wrapped up the series in Sydney.

Kohli had an awful summer with the bat but, aged 36, he showed he'd lost none of his old fire as he angered Aussie fans with a reference to Sandpapergate (right) and attacks on Sam Konstas.

Aussie cricket fans have been slammed over a 'racist' chant toward Indian supporters during an ugly war of words between the fan bases.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: As Australia and India picked over the carcass of a pulsating Border-Gavaskar Trophy, settled 3-1 in the hosts' favour in Sydney, England were left facing two big questions.

The New South Wales batter shone during his debut Test series, first impressed in the Boxing Day Test to sensationally ramp Jasprit Bumrah twice before going on to score 60 runs off 65 deliveries.

Another controversial moment has occurred during the Australia vs India Test series with superstar Virat Kohli riling up the SCG crowd with an offensive gesture.

Fireworks were guaranteed when Aussie Sam Konstas took on the might of Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli - and it was the Indian superstars who had the last laugh initially.

Fireworks were guaranteed when Aussie young gun Sam Konstas took on the might of Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli at the SCG on Saturday - and it was the Indian stars who had the last laugh.

In a dramatic final over of play, Bumrah and Konstas first clashed when Usman Khawaja pulled away from a ball, with India 's captain accusing him of delaying to ensure this would be the day's last over.

Virat Kohli has found himself at the centre of another flashpoint at the SCG on Friday when he was given not out by the third umpire in circumstances that left experts up in arms.

Anthony Albanese hosted the Australian and Indian Cricket teams ahead of the fifth Test in Sydney - and teenage sensation Sam Konstas stole the show again, just like he did on Boxing Day.

Both India and Australia had been invited to Kirribilli House in Sydney to meet the politician, who had given a speech at the event.

The Indian cricket great has been embroiled in plenty of controversy this week, notably clashing with a journalist upon his arrival in Melbourne.

Kohli accepted that his shoulder bump on the 19-year-old opening batsman breached the ICC's Code of Conduct relating to 'inappropriate physical contact with another player'.

About 24 hours after his ugly incident with the teenage debutant, Kohli was caught up in another concerning scene at the MCG as Australia looked to take the game away from India.

Kohli became the villain once again when he slammed into the teenager on Boxing Day - but while Aussie cricket fans are furious with the former skipper, Konstas has a very different view.

The former Indian Test skipper slammed his shoulder into the 19-year-old between overs in the latest flashpoint in the nation's intense rivalry with Australia - and Indian fans lashed out.

Virat Kohli was hit by a chorus of condemnation when he shoulder charged 19-year-old Konstas between overs on Thursday - and that chorus grew louder once his penalty was announced.

Kohli accepted a Level One sanction from the ICC that will see him be handed one demerit point and fined 20 per cent of his match fee.

The 19-year-old dazzled fans at the MCG on his Test debut, ramping Jasprit Bumrah twice - with one of his strikes going for six - before he went on to hit 60 runs from 65 balls before being dismissed.

The 19-year-old opener enjoyed a memorable start to his first Test, bringing up a half-century before being dismissed for lbw by Ravindra Jadeja for 60 runs.

Aged just 19 and on debut on Aussie cricket's biggest stage, Sam Konstas left fans and experts in disbelief with his stunning innings - despite some shocking treatment from Virat Kohli.

Channel Nine sport newsreader Tony Jones has slammed Virat Kohli, calling him 'nothing but a bully' after the Indian star was involved in a tense altercation with reporters at Melbourne airport.

Kohli was arriving in the city alongside several members of his family ahead of the Boxing Day Test next week.

The former Australia coach made the controversial remark during his nation's humbling 295-run first Test defeat by India on Monday.

Despite being dismissed for no runs in India's first innings, Jaiswal proved a force to be reckoned with hitting a stunning score of 161 runs.

After Australia struggled with the ball in hand on Thursday, with Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal both hitting centuries for the tourists, a victory for the hosts seemed to be edging further and further away.

Pat Cummins ' side were put to the sword by India, with the visitors setting the Baggy Greens a huge target of 534.

The King is back. Not only is Australia headed towards a disastrous Test defeat to India in Perth, but veteran Virat 'King' Kohli has returned to form with...

On a dry and cracking Perth pitch, India took the advantage in the first test with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal hitting a huge score of 161 runs to set the visitors up for a big second-inning score.

It was a rather sensational day for both bowling attacks, with Australia dismissing India for 150 runs in the first innings, with Josh Hazelwood taking four wickets on day one.

Australia and India are set to collide in Perth next week for the opening Test of the series, with the visitors coming into the opening match off the back of a 3-0 series defeat by New Zealand.

It appears barbs are already being shared between both camps ahead of the first Test of the summer, with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting being lambasted by India's coach.

TOP SPIN: The sight of Virat Kohli prodding his way to 93 runs in six innings during India's defeat by New Zealand caused shockwaves. Might the tremors have been felt at Lord's too?

TOP SPIN: It took 34.4 overs on the fourth afternoon of the second Test at Kanpur for India to score 285 for nine against Bangladesh, unleashing the full shock and awe of their batting arsenal.

Dominik Chvátal, from Prague, Czech Republic, 22, says they identify as both non-binary and an ambulance, and enjoys polygamous relationships with the response vehicles.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT THE OVAL: There's been a restlessness to his batting in this series and it's frustrating spectators as much as it ought to be frustrating Brook at present.

USA batted first and made a disastrous start, falling to 3-2 in the first over but recovered to post a respectable 110-8 with over 31,000 fans at the Nassau Stadium.

Virat Kohli has reportedly been spotted in London shortly after revealing news of the birth of his second child on social media.  

RICHARD GIBSON: Ashwin rushed to be with his ill mother, making him the second high-profile India player to be missing for family reasons following Virat Kohli's withdrawal.

PAUL NEWMAN IN RAJKOT: Now the tormented became the tormentor with a breath-taking unbeaten hundred that made the master off-spinner look like the beginner this time.

England Test captain Ben Stokes is on the brink of joining the 100 club. The 32-year-old is set to reach the milestone in the third Test against India, which starts in Rajkot on Thursday.

RICHARD GIBSON: Kohli, a player with 80 international hundreds, was left out of India's squad for Thursday's third Test in Rajkot plus those in Ranchi and Dharamsala that follow.

PAUL NEWMAN: Virat Kohli could play no part in England's series against India. It is a huge blow for a series that has begun with two highly entertaining Tests.

After England's second Test against India puts them level at 1-1, we put your questions to ex-England captain and Mail Sport columnist NASSER HUSSAIN.

RICHARD GIBSON AND PAUL NEWMAN IN HYDERABAD: After India batted their way into a commanding lead in the first Test in Hyderabad, an English journalist found himself in the lap of luxury.

COMMENT: The ECB have a decision. Either ignore it and carry on, tell India they will not start the Test series until their full complement of players is present, or bring the England team home.

EXCLUSIVE BY AADAM PATEL AND PAUL NEWMAN: Shoaib Bashir was on his way back to the UK from the UAE on Tuesday night to rubber stamp his visa after it was finally approved. 

NASSER HUSSAIN: Virat Kohli's absence from the first two Tests against England is a huge blow to the series - especially coming just the day after the news that Harry Brook would also be missing.

England were left frustrated and disappointed on Monday night after the uncapped Shoaib Bashir was prevented from joining the tour of India due to a visa delay.

India star Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Test matches against England for personal reasons, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced.

RICHARD GIBSON: For England's golden generation it represented the final frontier, the zenith of a relentless and ruthless journey that had taken in top-rank Test status.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated another major accolade by becoming the most searched athlete in Google history.

Images captured by Getty showed Khawaja, 36, wearing shoes which read: 'Freedom is a human right' and 'All lives are equal' during the team's training session on Tuesday.

After failing to defend a 326-run target in the first match of this tour, Buttler's side return to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the knowledge that defeat would take their number of losses for 2023 to 12

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was spotted enjoying a day out at the new rink at Battersea Power Station. He was all smiles as he and his daughter held hands and took laps around the ice.

Six India stars made the list of 12 players on Monday, while only two Australians represented the newly-crowned champions in the team captained by Rohit Sharma.

Indian hearts were broken on Sunday afternoon when Australia silenced a screaming Narendra Modi stadium to win the Cricket World Cup. LAWRENCE BOOTH looks back over the tournament.

PAUL NEWMAN: When the crunch came, when it appeared it was the destiny of Kohli to crown his magnificent career by dominating in a winning home World Cup, India simply blew it.

LAWRENCE BOOTH IN AHMEDABAD: Australia completed one of the greatest World Cup wins last night after stunning the favourites India in front of a disbelieving crowd of over 92,000.

Head took a stunning catch to dismiss rival dangerman Rohit Sharma earlier in Sunday's showpiece and then stepped up with the bat to score a mammoth 100 runs for his side.

Kohli, a feisty character on the pitch for his country, attempted to intimidate the quirky Labuschagne as he and Travis Head steadied the ship for Australia after a trio of early wickets for the tournament hosts.

Australia's clash with India was disrupted after a man wearing a 'FREE PALESTINE' t-shirt entered the field of play in Ahmedabad, where 130,000 fans were in attendance.

STUART BROAD: I think it would be great for the game if India come out on top against Australia in Ahmedabad because it will inspire the next generation of cricket's powerhouse

LAWRENCE BOOTH IN AHMEDABAD: Should India confirm their status as the World Cup's best team, the euphoria will be deafening. As will the silence if they fail.