Kapil Dev Compares Virat Kohli To McEnroe, Shares Honest Take On His Aggression And Test Retirement

Kapil Dev On Virat Kohli’s Test Retirement: ‘He Walked Away Too Soon’

World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has revealed he was disappointed by Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket, saying the batting great still had plenty to offer and may have stepped away too early.

Speaking on the SportsTak podcast, Kapil suggested Kohli should have given himself more time before making such a major decision, especially if it was influenced by frustration over his place in the team.

“It is not about 10,000 runs,” Kapil said, referring to Kohli falling 770 runs short of the milestone.

“I felt that if, for six months, he had not let himself get carried away by anger and given himself another chance to play for India… because once you stop playing for India, you do not get that opportunity again. After that, you can only talk about it.”

Kohli’s retirement ahead of India’s new World Test Championship cycle surprised many, particularly after he had returned to domestic cricket earlier in the year. Reports had suggested selectors wanted him to earn his place back through performances, while Kohli later indicated he no longer wanted to remain in an environment where he constantly had to prove himself.

Kapil, however, believes experienced cricketers should avoid making career-defining decisions in moments of disappointment.

“When you are still playing, do not make such decisions or reactions in anger,” he said.

“I think he had his own thought process, and he had every right to make that decision. But from the outside, we feel he still had time. If the selectors did not pick you, give yourself some time. If the captain did not pick you, work harder and score more runs, just like Mohinder Amarnath, Anshuman Gaekwad and others did. They went back to domestic cricket, performed and returned.”

The former India captain maintained that Kohli still possesses the skill and fitness required to succeed in Test cricket.

“He still has the ability to play Test cricket. It is not as if he cannot play anymore. Even now, when you watch him, you feel he can perform. That is why I was a little disappointed he retired before his time,” Kapil added.

Kapil Compares Kohli’s Aggression To John McEnroe

Kapil also drew an interesting comparison between Kohli and tennis legend John McEnroe, saying both athletes seemed to thrive on emotion and confrontation.

“The only thing that sometimes feels a little odd is that he gets a bit too charged up,” Kapil said.

“But when I look at Virat, he reminds me of John McEnroe because, until he fought, he could not produce his best performances. I was not like that.”

He contrasted Kohli’s fiery personality with the calmer demeanour of batting greats such as Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, while acknowledging that different personalities succeed in different ways.

“There are some players in sport who thrive on challenges. That is why I mentioned McEnroe. He was always fighting—whether with the umpire or someone else. I could never do that. But it was fascinating to watch. Sometimes, when you watch Virat, you feel he should calm down a little. Then again, perhaps that aggression brings out the best in him. If it helps him perform, then why not?” Kapil concluded.