Hunger in heart, fire in belly: Legends hail Kohli's Test legacy

India stalwart Virat Kohli's Test retirement has robbed the format of its biggest global star and its most influential advocate, leaving a vacuum that will be hard to fill.

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Kohli has ended his 123-Test career having amassed 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, securing his position as a modern great of the game.

Between 2014-2022, Kohli captained India to 40 wins in 68 Tests to become the country's most successful skipper in the format.

He struck 30 hundreds and 31 fifties with a highest score of 254 not out, mainly batting at number four in the order.

But the 36-year-old's lasting legacy in Test cricket lies beyond his truckload of runs and checked cover-drive, which is among the game's most beautiful shots.

Kohli said he had "given it everything" on Monday as he followed Rohit Sharma in retiring from Test cricket, days before India name their squad for a tour to England.

"It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket," the 36-year-old Kohli posted to his 271 million followers on Instagram.

"Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me and taught me lessons I'll carry for life.

"As I step away from this format, it's not easy but it feels right. I've given it everything I had and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for."