The stalwart announced his Test retirement via an Instagram post today.
After the Test retirement of Virat Kohli, ex-India opener Aakash Chopra has suggested the selectors bring back two veteran players, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, for their upcoming England tour.
“If Virat Kohli is not going, although it’s been heard that someone is trying to convince him, can Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara return, just for this series?” he asked in a YouTube video.
After a couple of days of speculation regarding whether the stalwart is calling time on his Test career, Kohli finally declared his retirement today. He announced his Test retirement through an Instagram post, which left several players and fans heartbroken. This comes shortly after the Test retirement of India skipper Rohit Sharma.
The former batter has backed Rahane and Pujara, who were dropped from the Test squad earlier, to make a comeback after Kohli and Rohit’s retirement. He also emphasised the need for experienced batters during the difficult conditions on English soil. India is set to play a five-match red-ball series starting on June 20.
“Can the team go in that direction? I am voicing it because it’s the England tour. If it had been any other tour, I would have said ‘Let’s go with kids.’ However, if both Kohli and Rohit are not there, maybe you want to think about Pujara or Rahane. Both are playing well and scoring runs,” he added.
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Former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has scored 5,077 runs in 85 Test matches so far. The 36-year-old has 12 centuries in red-ball cricket. He also holds the records for most catches in an innings (five) and most catches in a match (eight) by a player in Tests. Rahane last donned the India whites against the West Indies in July 2023.
Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara also piled up a huge tally of runs in his 13-year-long Test career. He has notched up 7,195 runs, including 19 tons in his 103 matches so far. He last featured in India’s red-ball squad in the World Test Championship final 2023 against Australia at The Oval, England.
Nonetheless, India’s Test team for their upcoming England tour will surely lack Kohli and Rohit’s experience. Rahane and Pujara have put up 864 and 870 runs in 16 Test matches in England, respectively. Fans have to wait to see whether BCCI includes them in a squad full of youngsters.
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