Cricketer-turned-expert Aakash Chopra has stated that Virat Kohli's decision to step away from Test cricket on Monday, May 12, was due to mental burnout. The former India opener stated that the legendary batter played the game intensely and might have felt he could not sustain it in the game's longest format for five days.
The 36-year-old took to Instagram on Monday and penned an emotional note to bid adieu to the format he loves the most - Test cricket. Earlier, in 2024, the star batter also called it quits from T20Is after India's epic win against South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup in Barbados. Kohli will only be playing one format - ODIs.
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In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that Virat Kohli played Test cricket with 'mad' intensity and might have stepped away from the format due to not maintaining the same intensity across five days.
Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli mentally being fatigued to play Test cricket
"He played Test cricket with the intensity of T20s. He ran a marathon at the speed of a sprint and kept running, and that is absolutely insane. As a batter, you can put all your effort into fielding, but he used to run all over the ground, celebrate every wicket, lift someone, or make someone fall," Chopra said (6:30).
Also Read: Virat Kohli informed Ajit Agarkar about wanting to retire from Tests in April: Report
"If not, he was messing with the crowd and driving them. This is mad intensity. It's one of a kind. We won't get to see such intensity again, nor did we find it before him. I remember VVS Laxman saying that Virat has many good things, but he fears that intensity might burn out. So maybe it was a mental burnout, that he cannot do this for five days anymore," he added.
Aakash Chopra lavishes praise on Virat Kohli, says there won't be another player like him
In the same video, the expert also lavished praise on Kohli, stating there won't be any other player like him. Chopra stated that the legendary batter excelling in all formats of the game made him supreme over his peers and competitors.
"If not, he was messing with the crowd and driving them. This is mad intensity. It's one of a kind. We won't get to see such intensity again, nor did we find it before him. I remember VVS Laxman saying that Virat has many good things, but he fears that intensity might burn out. So maybe it was a mental burnout, that he cannot do this for five days anymore," he added.
Also Read:Â "Might Take Some Time" - Cheteshwar Pujara On Finding Ideal Replacement For Virat Kohli At Number 4
"You have anyway started making format-specific teams, and going forward, it will happen a lot more. Virat Kohli has captained and scored runs in T20s. He has the status of the best ever in ODI cricket and has scored more than 9000 runs in Test cricket. You won't find such dominance. I think he is the last of this generation," Chopra observed.
