Srinagar, May 12 -- When Virat Kohli walked out in whites, chest out, eyes burning, the game felt different. More serious. More alive. More ours.

But now, that scene and statement has ended, as Kohli finally decided to hang up his Test cricket boots.

For much of the cricketing world, it was a gut-punch. But for Kashmir, the news felt like the end of something more personal.

Ask any young cricketer in Kashmir, and they'll tell you how Kohli shaped their game. Not just through cover drives and century celebrations, but through attitude. Through the idea that you could come from anywhere and lead with fire. In a region where sport often has to fight for space, Kohli gave red-ball cricket a fresh, fierce identity.

He brought back seriousn...