‘Return as captain’: Virat Kohli urged to reconsider Test retirement

New Delhi: Star batsman Virat Kohli In IPL 2026, he proved that he is still at the top of his game with an impressive unbeaten 69, helping Royal Challengers Bangalore easily equal Sunrisers Hyderabad’s tally of 202. His performance impressed many people, especially Ambati Rayuduwho believes Kohli He is still far from retirement but remains passionate about cricket.Kohli looked in complete control during the chase, playing stylish knocks including a lofty straight drive and his signature six. His innings drew a strong reaction from former India batsman Rayudu.

“I don’t think he is near the end of his career. I think he has five to six years left and as Sanjay (Bhangar) and I discussed earlier, he should come back in Test cricket as well – hopefully as captain,” Rayudu told ESPNCricinfo.“We mean it. He’s the best red team captain I’ve ever seen indian cricketand the way he is batting now, it is a loss for Indian cricket,” he added.Kohli retired from Test cricket in 2025.In this match, Hyderabad recovered from a poor start to reach 201/9 thanks to a quick 80 from Ishan Kishan and support from Ankiet Verma.In response, Kohli led the charge with support from Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar. Bengaluru chased target in just 15.4 overs, fastest 200+ chase ever intense pulsed light history.Kohli also achieved a major milestone by becoming the first player to chase over 4,000 runs in the IPL and surpassed Shoaib Malik on the T20 run-scoring list to cap off a memorable night.