IPL 2025: Suresh Raina said, “Virat Kohli retired early, he could have played till 2026.”
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli retired from T20 international cricket after winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Now, Suresh Raina has shared his opinion about Kohli’s decision. During the IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), Raina said on Star Sports Hindi that Kohli took this step a bit early.
According to Raina, Virat Kohli is still playing very well, and looking at his current form, he could have easily played till the T20 World Cup 2026.
Raina said, “I feel Virat Kohli retired early from T20Is. Looking at his current form and the way he is playing in the 2025 Champions Trophy, he could have played till 2026. His fitness and performance are still at the top level.”
India will miss Kohli in T20 World Cup 2026
After announcing his retirement, Virat Kohli said it is time for the young players to take the lead. This change has already started, and now under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, a new team is being built.
Team India is now getting ready to host the T20 World Cup 2026. The team is moving forward with a new plan and fresh thinking. Even though experienced players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja are not there, the team is still focused on defending the title.
Kohli is still doing well in IPL 2025
Even after retiring from T20Is, Virat Kohli is playing very well in IPL 2025. He won the Orange Cap in 2024, and this year too, he is in great form. So far, he has scored 392 runs in 9 matches with an average of 65.33, and he is at number two in the list of highest run scorers.
His performance shows that he still has the skills to play for India in T20 matches. Suresh Raina’s words make sense — Kohli could have continued for a few more years.
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