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New Delhi: The Indian cricket community was taken by surprise when reports emerged suggesting that Virat Kohli may be considering stepping down from Test cricket. The former India captain has apparently informed the BCCI that he no longer wishes to play in the longest format while the board is eager for him to participate in the upcoming five-match series against England. Social media has been buzzing with reactions to the retirement speculation with the majority of fans expressing their desire for him to continue playing. West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara also responded to the news and sent a heartfelt message to Kohli. The former West Indies captain expressed his belief that Kohli is unlikely to retire from Test cricket. Test cricket needs Virat!! He is going to be persuaded. He is NOT going to retire from Test cricket. @virat.kohli is going to average above 60 for the remainder of his Test career he wrote on Instagram.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Brian Lara (@brianlaraofficial) The BCCI is expected to soon engage in discussions with Virat Kohli hoping to persuade him to feature in the England series. Without his presence India would face a middle-order lacking in experience. Despite his recent struggles with form Virat remains one of the finest batsmen of his generation and undoubtedly has plenty of cricket left in him. His experience and skill are invaluable and it would be a huge loss for India if he were to step away from Test cricket now. If he decides to retire from Test cricket Virat Kohli will focus solely on limited-overs formats. He had already stepped away from T20 internationals following Indias victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Recently Rohit Sharma also announced his retirement from Test cricket and is now only playing in ODIs. He is set to captain India in the 2027 World Cup. Virat Kohlis Test Career: Virat Kohli made his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011 though he was dropped early in his career. The right-handed batsman solidified his place in the playing XI during the 2011/12 tour of Australia. He took over as Test captain in 2014 and led the team full-time until 2022. With 40 victories from 68 Tests Virat is Indias most successful Test captain. He has accumulated 9230 runs in 123 Test matches.