The cricketing world continues to feel the absence of Virat Kohli in Test cricket, with South African pace legend Allan Donald becoming the latest to voice his opinion. Donald has drawn a poignant parallel between Kohli's retirement from the longest format and that of his former Proteas teammate, AB de Villiers, suggesting both icons stepped away "too early" while still possessing much to offer.
A Retirement Echoing de Villiers' Premature Exit
Kohli, now 37, announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025 after a challenging patch where he averaged under 25 across 19 innings in the 2024 season. He finished with 9230 runs in the format. Donald compared this decision to de Villiers' shock retirement in 2018 at the age of 34, when the South African was at the peak of his powers. De Villiers left as his country's fourth-highest run-scorer, with an average of 50.66 and 22 centuries from 114 Tests.
"I actually miss him. I miss him in the Test match arena," Donald told ANI. "I still think he’s almost like an AB. You think he’s retired too early." The comparison underscores a sentiment shared by many fans and pundits who believe both players had significant cricket left in them for the five-day game.
Kohli's ODI Resurgence Fuels Retirement Debate
The discussion around Kohli's Test retirement has been reignited by his spectacular return to form in One-Day Internationals. After a rocky comeback in October 2025 with back-to-back ducks in Australia, the former India captain has been in sublime touch. He has racked up four successive fifty-plus scores against Australia and South Africa. Furthermore, his domestic outings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru, where he struck a century and a fifty for Delhi, proved his enduring class and hunger for runs.
This imperious run has led several experts to wonder aloud if Kohli reconsidered his red-ball exit prematurely. Donald, however, remains in awe of Kohli's drive and sees him as a central figure in India's white-ball future. "No doubt we will see him in the white-ball arena and in the 2027 World Cup as well," he added.
The Machine Who Could Have Chased Sachin
Beyond the retirement timing, Donald paid the ultimate compliment to Kohli's career and legacy. He firmly placed the Delhi batter as the only modern player with the pedigree and appetite to approach Sachin Tendulkar's monumental batting records in international cricket.
"If there is one batter who is going to get close to Sachin Tendulkar, it would be Virat Kohli," Donald stated. "I don’t think I have ever seen a hunger in a player like Virat. I’ve got massive respect for him. He is just a machine." This praise highlights the void left in Test cricket, where such historic pursuits have now been curtailed.
Kohli's immediate focus is on the white-ball circuit. He is back in action as India takes on New Zealand in a three-match ODI series starting Sunday, followed by five T20Is, as the team builds towards the next T20 World Cup. While his Test chapter is closed, his enduring brilliance in limited-overs cricket ensures the debate about what might have been in the whites will continue for years to come.
