‘I love it when Virat Kohli says…’: Ian Botham in awe of Indian icon’s passion for Test cricket

Widely regarded as one of the greatest Test batsmen of his generation, Virat Kohli continues to garner admiration for his deep love and passion for the longest format of the game. Even after retiring from Test cricket in May 2025, Kohli has repeatedly spoken of how much the format means to him, recently drawing huge praise from England legend Ian Botham.Kohli brought the curtain down on his illustrious Test career on 12 May 2025, finishing with 9,230 runs in 123 matches along with a remarkable legacy as one of India’s most successful Test captains. Despite moving away from the format, the former Indian captain never hid his emotional attachment to Test cricket and his pride in India’s achievements during his era. Moments after finally winning his first IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025, ending an 18-year wait, Kohli grabbed headlines with his candid remarks on where success lies compared to Test cricket.“You know, this moment is right up there with the best moments I’ve had in my career, but it’s still five levels below Test cricket. That’s how much I love Test cricket and that’s why I value Test cricket,” Kohli said after RCB’s title triumph.Former England captain Ian Botham also praised Kohli’s mindset and commitment to the traditional format, saying the Indian superstar’s words perfectly summed up his greatness as a cricketer.“I love when Virat Kohli says that winning Test matches for India means more to him than anything else in the game. That sums him up for me, including winning the IPL,” Botham said during the 12th annual Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture, jointly organized by The Bengal Club and The Telegraph. “For me, he’s certainly one of the best players in Test cricket,” added the England legend.Also, recently, during the RCB podcast, Kohli emotionally reflected on India’s memorable Test tour under his leadership.“I look back at the time when I was able to play Test cricket for so long and lead India to some amazing victories and a golden era on our Test tour. We were a bunch of young guys who always wanted to play Test cricket for India and we got the opportunity to live together as a group,” Kohli said.These statements, even after his retirement from the format, underscore Kohli’s immense respect and passion for Test cricket.