Novak Djokovic lauds Virat Kohli for 'incredible innings' as cricket great bids adieu to Test format

Virat Kohli called time on a legendary Test career, sparking a flood of tributes and emotions across the world.

Tennis great Novak Djokovic congratulated Virat Kohli on his “incredible innings” after the former Indian captain announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12 (Monday). Kohli bid adieu to Test cricket after a 14-year long career that saw him reach the pinnacle of ICC Test rankings.

Kohli took over India’s captaincy after Mahendra Singh Dhoni quit captaincy during the Australia tour in 2014. From being ranked No #7 then, to now being a force to reckon with, across continents, the credit for this transformation goes largely to Virat Kohli.

Test match cricket, known as the purest form of the sport, was revived by Kohli’s passion and aggression, as the 36-year-old helped India win their first test series in Australia. Virat Kohli finished his career with 9,230 runs, at an average of 46.85. Having averaged over 50 until 2021, the era post pandemic saw a significant decline in Kohli’s overall record in the whites.

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Called as ‘King Kohli’, the Indian icon will forever be remembered for the legacy he built, which has now earned him fans not only in India but across the globe. His aura remains unmatched, with another GOAT from the tennis fraternity acknowledging Kohli.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medalist, posted a story on Instagram to congratulate the Indian legend on a magnificent test career, calling it an “Incredible innings”. Djokovic and Kohli are no strangers, with the duo having developed a profound bond over the past year or so.

In an interview with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in January last year, Virat said, “I got in touch with Novak very organically. I was just looking at his Instagram profile once and happened to press his“Message” button. I thought I would say him ‘Hello, maybe.’ Then I saw a message from him on my DM already. I never saw it myself. The first time I saw my own messages, I saw that he had messaged me himself.

“Then I was like, let us check if it is a fake account or not. But then I checked it, and it was legitimate. Then we started talking, exchanging messages every now and then. I would congratulate him on all of his fantastic achievements,” recalled the former India captain.

Also Read: Top 6 best innings by Virat Kohli in test cricket

Moreover, when Kohli scored a historic career 50th 100 against New Zeland during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Djokovic had congratulated him on that instance too. “There has been mutual admiration and respect. It is nice to connect with global athletes who are excelling at a high level. Collectively, it is sending out a message of inspiration to the next generation in a way,” said Virat.

Kohli has been an admirer of Djokovic’s fitness and wishes to meet the Serbian soon. Apart from Djokovic, several other global superstars joined in congratulating the Indian star, including footballer Harry Kane, Oscar Piastri, Neeraj Chopra, Michael Vaughan, Brett Lee, PV Sindhu, Steve Smith and more.

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