Former India coach Ravi Shastri said Virat Kohli was "mentally fried and overcooked" due to constant public scrutiny, but was surprised by the latter's decision to retire from Test cricket because he believed that the star batter had another 2-3 years left in him in the longest format.
Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, drawing the curtain on a stellar red-ball career. He represented India in 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.
Shastri revealed he had spoken to Kohli shortly before the latter made his decision public.
“I did speak to him about it, I think a week before that (his announcement) and his mind was very clear that he'd given us everything. There were no regrets," Shastri told The ICC Review.
“Virat surprised me because I thought he had at least two-three years of Test match cricket left in him. But then, when you're mentally fried and overcooked, that's what tells your body. You might be physically the fittest guy in the business.
"You might be fitter than half the guys in your team, but mentally you're well done, as they say, then it sends a message to the body. You know, that's it," he said.
Opening up on their conversation, Shastri said Kohli's infectious personality and the constant spotlight he was under contributed to a burnout.
"He's got accolades around the globe. He has a bigger following than any other cricketer in the last decade. Whether it's Australia, whether it's South Africa, he just got people to watch the game. There was a love-hate relationship.
“They would get angry because he had the ability to get under the skin of the viewers. In the way he celebrated, you know his intensity was such that it was like a rash.
“It spread very quickly, not just within the dressing room, but within living rooms as well for people watching cricket. So, he was an infectious personality," he added.
Kohli led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests -- the most by any Indian skipper to date.
“If he decided to do something, then he gave his 100 percent, which is not easy to match. Individually, as a bowler, as a batsman," said Shastri, who formed one of the most successful captain-coach duos in Indian Test cricket history with Kohli.
"A player does his job, (and) then you sit back. But (with Kohli) when the team goes out, it's as if he has to take all the wickets, he has to take all the catches, he has to make all the decisions on the field.
“That much involvement, I would think there's going to be a burnout somewhere if he doesn't take a rest, if he doesn't compartmentalise how much he wants to play across formats, there is bound to be a burnout.”
The Kohli-Shastri partnership ushered in one of the most successful eras in Indian Test cricket, which included a historic first-ever series win in Australia, back-to-back wins in the West Indies, and ending a 22-year wait for a series win in Sri Lanka.
Shastri said there was nothing left for Kohli to achieve.
"At times when you quit the game, you know, and after a month or two months you say, ‘I wish I had done this, I wish I had done this," he said.
“(Kohli) He's done everything. He's captained sides, he's won World Cups, he's won an Under-19 World Cup (2008) himself. I mean, there's nothing for him to achieve," he added.
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