In the wake of Virat Kohli's fairly abrupt Test retirement on the eve of the tour of England earlier this year, former teammate Irfan Pathan has stood his ground regarding past criticisms of the celebrated cricketer. The decision to retire from Test cricket caught many by surprise, coinciding with a perceived decline in Kohli's performance, marked by a dip in his average and a decrease in the frequency of his hallmark innings.

Kohli faced scrutiny toward the end of his career as he struggled to consistently perform, leading some to question his continued selection in the team. Pathan has been candid about his views on the matter, asserting that it was reasonable to raise these questions, especially given Kohli's prolonged slump.

"Virat Kohli had a slump in 2019-2020. You can see my social media of that time — I backed Kohli a lot," Pathan stated in an interview with Lallantop. He emphasized the importance of supporting a major player during their initial struggles, acknowledging Kohli's significant contributions to the team's success. However, Pathan also noted that extending unwavering support to a player experiencing a five-year slump could be detrimental to the team. "But if this slump lasts for five years, then it is not right. In the end, the team is the most important".

Pathan elaborated that Kohli's difficulties in Test cricket stemmed from his repeated dismissals in a similar fashion, allowing opposing teams to exploit this vulnerability. "When a player gets out in the same way, the opposing team will get you out with Plan A itself. They will not need to go to Plan B. It is the job of a champion player to take you from Plan A to Plan B," he explained. He observed that Kohli was consistently getting caught behind the wicket, either in the slip cordon or by the wicketkeeper, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in 2024/25. Despite scoring a century in the series opener in Perth, Kohli only managed 190 runs in nine innings, while India lost the Test series 1-3.

Another former teammate, Karsan Ghavri, alleges that Kohli and Rohit Sharma were compelled to retire prematurely from Test cricket due to internal politics within the BCCI and the selection committee. Ghavri claims that both players desired to continue playing but were forced out, and Kohli was not even given a farewell.

Adding to the narrative, former Australia cricketer Aaron Finch said Kohli's behavior during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was indicative of a search for conflict and confrontation, suggesting it was a way for Kohli to ignite a fire within himself, though it ultimately didn't work. Finch referred to Kohli's shoulder clash with debutant Sam Konstas and his "sandpaper" taunt towards the Sydney crowd as examples of him going overboard.

Sunil Gavaskar also weighed in on the Konstas incident, deeming the shoulder bump as "simply not cricket". Gavaskar suggested that Kohli's reactions to the Australian crowd increased pressure on his teammates and contributed to his inconsistent performance throughout the series.

While Kohli's career is decorated with numerous achievements, including becoming India's most successful Test captain with 40 wins, the latter part of his career was marked by a noticeable dip in form. His Test average had fallen below 47 for the first time since 2016, and his average in the first innings of Tests in 2024 was just 15. Over the last five years, it remained below 30.

Despite the criticisms, Kohli's contributions to Indian cricket remain undeniable. Teammates, like RCB pacer Yash Dayal, have publicly expressed their admiration and respect for Kohli. Bhuvneshwar Kumar noted how his relationship with Kohli has evolved over the years, with conversations now revolving around family life rather than just cricket.

Ultimately, Irfan Pathan's refusal to back down from his past criticism underscores the complex narrative surrounding Virat Kohli's career. While acknowledging Kohli's greatness and past achievements, Pathan maintains that the team's interests must take precedence, especially when a player's performance declines over an extended period.