Key Points

Taking to his Instagram handle, the 'Gangs of Wasseypur' director shared a rare throwback photo of a young Virat Kohli, which featured the star player from his early days in domestic cricket.

In the picture, Kohli is seen wearing a National Cricket Academy jersey as he poses for the camera.

While sharing Virat Kohli's throwback photo, director Anurag Kashyap penned a heartwarming message for the cricketer. He wrote, "This young man who went on to rule the pitch and our hearts. Lots of love champ. You will be missed in the test cricket."

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJjSAucMqNM/?hl=en

Earlier in the day, Anushka Sharma, actress and wife of Virat Kohli, also shared an emotional note on Instagram, reflecting on her husband's journey in Test cricket.

In her post, Anushka recounted Kohli's "tears and battles" that no one saw.

Hailing her husband's unwavering dedication towards the game of cricket, she wrote, "They'll talk about the records and the milestones -- but I'll remember the tears you never showed, the battles no one saw, and the unwavering love you gave this format of the game. I know how much all this took from you. After every Test series, you came back a little wiser, a little humbler -- and watching you evolve through it all has been a privilege."

Anushka also said that she anticipated Virat's retirement from international cricket in whites, like many of his innumerable fans across the globe.

"Somehow, I always imagined you'd retire international cricket in whites -- But you've always followed your heart, and so I just want to say my love, you've earned every bit of this goodbye," added Anushka.

Along with the note, Anushka also shared a priceless picture from Virat's tour to Australia in 2018, where he led India to a 2-1 series win, India's first Test series win in Australia.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJjH0kFMj3K/?

In his Test career, Virat Kohli made 123 appearances in white clothing, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties in 210 innings and the best score of 254*.

He is India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format, behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs).

He made his Test debut in June 2011 against the West Indies. While his first Test tour was a massive disappointment with just 76 runs in five innings, a young Virat made a name for himself with some serious, counter-attacking knocks in the coming days.

His rise as a Test player started with his maiden ton against Australia at Adelaide in 2012, when he made 116 in 213 balls.

- ANI