Alongside a rare, never-seen-before photo of a young Kohli in his early domestic cricket days, dressed in a National Cricket Academy jersey, Anurag penned a heartfelt note.
Image Source: Instagram
Shocking announcement of Virat Kohli to step away from Test cricket has left fans, fellow athletes, and even Bollywood celebs emotional—and among the first to express heartfelt admiration was filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.
On Monday morning, Kashyap took to Instagram to pen a touching tribute for the cricketing icon. Alongside a rare, never-seen-before photo of a young Kohli in his early domestic cricket days, dressed in a National Cricket Academy jersey, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ director wrote:
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“This young man who went on to rule the pitch and our hearts. Lots of love champ. You will be missed in Test cricket.”
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The post struck a nostalgic chord with fans, many of whom responded with heart emojis and messages thanking Kohli for his immense contribution to Indian cricket.
But it wasn’t just the filmmaker paying tribute. Earlier in the day, actress and Kohli’s wife Anushka Sharma shared a deeply personal note that revealed the emotional toll and grit behind the cricketer’s celebrated journey in whites.
“They’ll talk about the records and the milestones — but I’ll remember the tears you never showed, the battles no one saw,” wrote Anushka, describing the quiet strength behind Kohli’s decade-long Test journey. “After every series, you came back a little wiser, a little humbler.”
The ‘NH10’ actress also shared a powerful photo from Kohli’s iconic 2018 tour to Australia, where he led India to a historic 2-1 series win—India’s first-ever Test series victory on Australian soil.
Reflecting on his decision, she added, “Somehow, I always imagined you’d retire from international cricket in whites — but you’ve always followed your heart. You’ve earned every bit of this goodbye.”
Kohli’s Test career is nothing short of legendary. Over 13 years, he played 123 matches, scored 9,230 runs with an average of 46.85, and notched up 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His highest score, a masterclass 254, still stands tall among India’s greatest individual performances.
Despite a rocky start to his red-ball career—managing just 76 runs in five innings on his 2011 debut tour of the West Indies—Kohli quickly turned heads. His breakthrough came in Adelaide in 2012, where he smashed a gritty 116 against Australia. From that point on, there was no looking back.
As India’s fourth-highest Test run-scorer—behind legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar—Kohli has not only delivered memorable knocks but redefined fitness, aggression, and leadership for a new generation of players.
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