England Great Asks BCCI to Appoint Virat Kohli as India's Test Skipper in Retirement Speculation
An English cricket great has called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to make Virat Kohli India's Test captain during rumors of his retirement. Kohli, aged 36, is said to retire from Test cricket before India's five-match series against England, which begins on June 20. His possible exit comes after former skipper Rohit Sharma's, creating a leadership vacuum. The BCCI is eyeing younger leaders such as Shubman Gill to take the job, but Kohli's leadership skills and legacy make him an ideal candidate for a return to the captaincy.
admin
India's upcoming five-match Test series against England looms large on the horizon, and the selectors have been in hot pressure to finalize the team. The series is scheduled to commence in June but is already becoming a nuisance in the flesh of the Indian selection committee. The sudden news of Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket left the team in a lurch to find a skipper. Adding to the uncertainty, it has come out in reports that Virat Kohli is also set to retire from the longest version of the game. This has left the leadership of the team shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty.
Following these speculations and uncertainty, there was a surprise proposal for the Indian team by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan, never one to shy away from his opinions, took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared his opinions regarding the captaincy problem. He opined that if he were given a choice, he would appoint Virat Kohli as the captain for India's upcoming Test series in England. Vaughan further suggested that Shubman Gill might be Kohli's deputy captain for the tour.
This came after reports that Virat Kohli had already informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his intention to retire from Test cricket. As India prepares to play the five-match series against England, the BCCI is reportedly pressurizing Kohli to reconsider. The skipper has yet to make the final decision on retirement.
Mohammad Kaif, a former Indian cricketer, also shared his views on the issue. He advised Kohli to think twice before hanging up his boots in Test cricket. Kaif appreciated Kohli for his performances, especially during the T20 World Cup, and encouraged him to give a high-profile farewell to his Test cricket by quitting it now. He noted that Kohli had struggled with some deliveries, especially balls bowled outside the off-stump, but asked him to prove his detractors wrong in the English tour.
If indeed Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket, it will conclude a tremendous 14-year period. In the time taken playing the game's longest format, Kohli compiled 9,230 runs from 123 Tests at 46.85 and with 30 centuries in his name. His captaincy too has been magnificent, and he is India's most successful Test captain until now, having registered 40 wins out of 68 games in his account.
The time is more pressing than ever now with the selectors needing to make crucial decisions ahead of the England series. While there remains time to announce the squad, the leadership crisis has created tension among the fans and ex-players too. The BCCI is hopeful that Virat Kohli will change his retirement plans and lead India in what will be his farewell Test series.
For now, the cricket community waits in suspense as India prepares to meet what may be an engaging Test series in England. The leadership issue is one of the problems that need to be solved before the team is named. Fans and commentators alike will be eager to know who will captain the team, and if Kohli will be able to pen one more chapter in his already illustrious Test career.
