In a viral social media post that has set the cricketing world abuzz, former India batter Robin Uthappa has made a passionate appeal for modern-day legend Virat Kohli to reconsider his retirement from Test cricket. The post from Uthappa came after a series of viral images showing Virat Kohli in an intense training session ahead of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

Uthappa, a member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad, shared a photo of Kohli in the nets at Vadodara with a caption that resonated with millions of fans.

“Them eyes tell u a story…Surely it’s time to rescind his test retirement. Would love to see him back in Test cricket,” Uthappa wrote on his X (previously Twitter) account. 

 

Them eyes tell u a story…Surely it’s time to rescind his test retirement. Would love to see him back in Test cricket. pic.twitter.com/fxWcI8tF1X
— Robbie Uthappa (@robbieuthappa) January 8, 2026

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A “Forced Surrender” Or A Natural Exit?

Notably, Virat Kohli shocked the cricket fraternity when he announced his retirement from the longest format in May 2025, just before India’s tour of England. 

The decision came on the heels of a grueling Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia where, despite a vintage century in Perth, Kohli’s overall returns were modest. 

However, Uthappa has long been skeptical of the “natural” nature of this exit. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former batter suggested that the departures of both Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the red-ball format felt premature.

“I don’t know if it was a forced surrender, but it definitely didn’t seem like a natural exit. What the truth is, they themselves will have to share in their own time. But I don’t think it was natural,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel in an earlier video.

“When Rohit was not scoring runs in Australia, I felt that he should take a break for six months and work on his fitness. I had no doubt in my mind that he would score runs. 

In both Virat and Rohit, you can see that hunger back in their eyes, which is really cool. It’s endearing to see it from a veteran who’s been there, done that, and achieved so much in international cricket,” he added.

Kohli’s Blistering Form in White-Ball Cricket

The calls for a Test comeback aren’t just based on nostalgia; they are backed by runs. Since stepping away from Tests, Virat Kohli has been “setting the stage on fire” in ODIs. He scored back-to-back centuries and an unbeaten fifty in the last ODI series against South Africa and also a  commanding hundred for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

With India currently grappling with a transitional phase in their Test middle order, the sight of a “hungry” Kohli in the nets has reignited hope. Whether Virat himself – who previously stated his peace with the decision – is willing to don the whites again remains the million-dollar question.