Virat Kohli rocked the cricket world on May 12 when he announced his retirement from Test cricket, the format he most enjoyed playing. His retirement occurred shortly after two renowned Indian cricketers, Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma, announced their retirements. This forced the Indian team to hunt for alternatives and replacements for the troika, which has now left the red-ball format.
Harbhajan Singh, a former cricketer, was recently asked about Kohli’s decision to retire in the game’s purest format. Harbhajan stressed that retirements are always a personal decision, and that his thoughts on Kohli’s decision should not be taken seriously. He later stated that Kohli still has the energy to play the five-day format, and that he can still play competitive cricket today, but it is up to each player to decide when to retire.
“Yeh, toh unka personal decision hain; isme main keh sakta hoon? Dum-kham, bande mein bahut hai. Wo lambe samay tak khel sakte hai. It is his personal decision. What shall I say? I believe Kohli can still play for a longer length of time. Southlive quoted the cricketer-turned-commentator as adding, “I can also play.
Selectors fast dial Karun Nair for Virat Kohli.
While the 36-year-old’s retirement has left a significant vacuum in India’s batting line, the selectors have asked for Karun Nair’s return for the forthcoming five-match series against England, believing he is seasoned enough. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, also stated that Nair’s experience playing county cricket in English conditions will be beneficial and may be sufficient to replace the vacuum left by Kohli’s departure.
The series will begin on June 20, with the first Test taking place at Headingley in Leeds. The think tank has put a lot of faith in Shubman Gill, 25, by naming him captain, with Rishabh Pant serving as his deputy. The series will also mark the start of the Indian team’s new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, and they will be trying to make it through with a young, inexperienced, but very competent squad.
