“Play Till 50!” Taliban Leader’s Shocking Message to Virat Kohli

Taliban Leader Urges Virat Kohli to Reconsider Test Retirement

Cricket has often been described as the “gentleman’s game,” but every now and again, it transcends the boundary ropes. When Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, the cricketing world was left in shock. Fans, former players, and analysts all shared their thoughts, but perhaps the most surprising reaction came from a very unexpected place—the corridors of Kabul.

Taliban Leader’s Unexpected Call to Virat Kohli

Anas Haqqani, a leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and a significant figure within the Taliban organization, recently garnered attention by making an earnest appeal to Kohli. During an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Haqqani called upon the Indian star to retract his decision.

“Rohit’s retirement from Tests was understandable. I don’t know why Kohli retired unless it was on his own terms. Very few people in the world are that exceptional. I hope he can play until he’s 50,” Haqqani said.

For Haqqani, the disappointment was not concerning Rohit Sharma’s departure but to see someone perceived as one of the greats of modern Test batters–who still appeared to have a lot of cricket left in him–vanish from the game.

Kohli’s Career Stats

Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, a few days after Rohit Sharma. He ended his career with 9,230 Test runs, not quite reaching the 10,000 mark by 770 runs.

Kohli’s retirement at 36 was unexpected, especially given how fit and in shape he was. Haqqani mentioned that Joe Root is still trying to beat Sachin Tendulkar record, which suggested Kohli could have kept going for greatness.

A New Era for Indian Test Cricket

After Kohli and Rohit both announced their departures, India is now off to a new start with Shubman Gill. Gill has already proven his adeptness by steering India to a 2-2 draw in England. The young star is the new face of Indian cricket, but it will take some time for the team to move on from the two legends.

On the other hand, it is anticipated that Kohli and Rohit will be active in the limited-overs format, and they will be back in a three-match ODI series against Australia in October 2025.

Asia Cup 2025: India’s Eyes on the Prize

Right now, India is really focused on the Asia Cup 2025. They started strong by beating the UAE easily. Everyone’s excited about a possible India versus Afghanistan game in the Super Four. It could be a big deal, especially after Haqqani’s unexpected remarks.

The strange message from the leader of the Taliban shows how widely the impact of Kohli’s career is known. Besides the stadiums full of Indian fans, he still has followers in the most unexpected places across the borders. Virat Kohli is still one of those players whose popularity goes beyond politics and distance.

Also Read: Why Did India Bench Arshdeep Singh in Asia Cup 2025 Opener?