Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the Test format of cricket on Monday (May 12) sending shockwaves across the world. Many cricketing greats including Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers congratulated the star batter.

Athletes from other sports also heaped praises on Kolhi on his big day. Conor Anthony McGregor, professional mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) shared a heartfelt story for the 36-year-old.

Conor McGregor's story for Virat Kohli

Conor McGregor, the Irish MMA veteran and the first fighter to hold UFC championships in two weight classes simultaneously, appreciated Virat Kohli.

"Enjoy retirement brother Virat! Huge congrats on a stellar cricket career!" McGregor posted in an Instagram story.

Novak Djokovic's story

Legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic, who has claimed 24 Grand Slam titles, also congratulated Virat Kohli on his retirement.

Virat Kohli's retirement

Virat Kohli took to Instagram and penned down an emotional post to announce his Test retirement.

"I am walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile," he expressed at the end of the post.

Virat Kohli's exit ahead of WTC 2025-27 cycle

The 36-year-old's retirement will be a major turning point as Team India's new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is on the cards. Coach Gautam Gambhir will want to introduce young players to the Test squad, ensuring a fresh approach for the next WTC cycle.

Team India's roadmap is likely to be focused on developing a bowling attack and creating depth in batting.

Who will fill Virat Kohli's shoes at the number four position?

While it will be difficult to take Kohli's place in the red-ball format, India might consider options like Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Sarfaraz Khan, or Karun Nair to fill his place.

Virat Kohli's stats in Test cricket

Virat Kohli has played 123 Test matches and has amassed 9230 runs with the highest score of 254*. He hit 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his glorious Test career of 210 innings.

When it comes to opponents, most runs from his bat came against Australia. He scored 2232 runs against the Aussies. 2018 was the best year for Virat Kohli in terms of his career's most runs scored in a year as he smashed 1322 runs.