Virat Kohli shocked the cricket fraternity by announcing his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12. He posted his decision on Instagram to hang his boots from the longest format of the game.
The announcement comes five weeks ahead of India’s five-match Test tour of England.
While it is going to be next to impossible to match up to Kohli’s standards, India would want to find a reliable batter who can score important runs in the crucial middle-order position. The Test series against England will mark the beginning of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. After failing to reach the finals in the previous edition, the Asian giants would hope for a strong start in the United Kingdom.
While many candidates are waiting to break into the Indian team, CricTracker looks at three players who could fit the bill not just for the England tour but beyond it.
3 Players who can replace Virat Kohli in India’s Test team
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan. (Photo Source: JioCinema)
Sarfaraz Khan made his much-awaited Test debut against England in February 2024 in Rajkot. He scored half-centuries in both innings of the Test match. Later in the year, he smashed his maiden century against New Zealand in Bengaluru in the second innings of the Test match. This was after he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings.
The Mumbai batter has been in the Indian Test squad, but opportunities have been few and far between. Sarfaraz was in India’s squad for the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. However, he didn’t get a game. The 27-year-old is an excellent player of spin. Meanwhile, he isn’t afraid to play the ramp shots and upper-cuts against the seamers. Sarfaraz likes to take the attack to the bowlers and put them under pressure. This approach is very much suitable in modern-day cricket and is proving to be rewarding for many cricketers.
2. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has re-earned himself a central contract after putting on a stellar show in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year. As per reports, the right-handed batter is expected to be back in the side for the five-match series against England. He has played 14 Tests and scored 811 runs at an average of 36.86.
Shreyas scored a century and a half-century in the two innings of his debut Test, which was against New Zealand in November 2021. After that, he went on to notch up four more fifties. Shreyas is another batter who plays spin really well. He had his struggles against short-pitched deliveries, but the Mumbai-born has addressed the issue in recent times. The 30-year-old likes to keep the scoreboard ticking, and his camaraderie with Rishabh Pant in the middle-order could win India many games over the next few years.
1. KL Rahul
Consistency has been an issue with KL Rahul, especially in the longest format. However, his grit and determination while opening the batting in Australia in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy were lauded by fans as well as experts. Rahul averages 33.58 after playing 58 Tests. However, he is a far better player than the numbers suggest. The 33-year-old can bat in the middle-order as well. The likes of B Sai Sudharsan or Abhimanyu Easwaran can open the batting along with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Rahul’s solid batting technique and calmness under pressure could make him a useful asset at No. 4. The Karnataka batter’s best performances in ODI cricket have come when he has batted in the middle. He could provide some valuable contributions while batting at No. 4, while the likes of Sudharsan or Easwaran will get a chance to prove their mettle at the top.