Virat Kohli, the king of Test cricket in India announced his retirement from the format but as he steps away from red-ball arena – will the fire still remain alive? The spark he ignited can India take it forward or who’ll fill the void he leaves behind? Everyone is perplexed and left with a lot of questions unanswered. But one thing that will always remain intact is that even if his roar fades away the echo still remains.
End Of An Era
Kohli’s Test retirement not only marks an end of an era but also a piece that will always remain missing in India’s Test team. In the format which is often regarded as slow and old-school, Kohli brought intensity, charisma and most importantly the spirit to never give up whether it’s Adelaide’s heat or Edbaston’s tough cold weather. What makes Virat different from others is his passion for the format, he didn’t just play but lived every moment of it. The biggest dilemma that now stands for Indian cricket is that they’ve to step back in the format and face the toughest of rivals whether it is Australia or England without their fiercest warrior King Kohli.
The Most Fearless Test Batter Of India
India had always struggled in overseas conditions but when Kohli took the charge, he turned the tables and reshaped the team’s mindset. His knock of 149 runs against England at Edgbaston in 2018 was a testament of his class and brilliance. Against the lethal James Anderson and the hostile England crowd, Kohli delivered a tough knock of 149 despite carrying a fragile batting lineup. Even in Perth, Kohli’s grit was seen when he struck 123 runs in alien conditions of Australia that favoured the Aussie pacers.
Toughest Knock Of Kohli’s Test Career
One of the toughest knock of his career was in South Africa at Johannesburg (2018), when every batter was struggling to score on the extremely dangerous pitch, Virat Kohli walked in fearlessly and scored 97 runs. It was even more crucial than a century, he showed the world a completely new side of the format on a pitch where the ball spat like a cobra.
India’s Most Successful Test Captain
The run-machine set a new benchmark in fitness, whether it was yo-yo tests, rigorous training or gym-sessions Virat inspired the youngsters and all the budding cricketers. His own transformation into lean, fast and tireless athlete raised the bar for everyone. The discipline he carried and hunger to win was seen in every match was absolutely top-notch. As the captain of India he took the Test team on number 1 spot for straight 42 months, a milestone that still remains unbroken. There is no doubt he was the most successful Test captain India ever witnessed and even though he has now stepped out his throne might be empty but his legacy is completely alive. He broke 71-year old jinx and lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2018-19) solidifying India’s presence on the global stage.
India In Test Cricket Without Virat Kohli
One of the toughest challenge that India will now face is without Kohli will Test cricket still remain the same? India will now need to find the mental steel to withstand all conditions and with young players like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal taking the baton a strong mindset will be very crucial. As the captain of India, Kohli never hid behind his role he led from the front and the overseas teams feared when he stepped in. The player who’ll bat on number 4 will have big shoes to fill in, the dressing room needs a new heartbeat and India Team must play aggressively from the front.
Upcoming Test Series Against England: A New Challenge
The upcoming Test series against England starting from June 20 will be a big test for the Indian Team as its the first assignment without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The squad is relatively inexperienced and the transition phase can either be a new dawn or downfall for India, hence the team needs to be extremely careful with every move. One thing that can never be ignored is Virat Kohli’s absence will always be felt in between deliveries and the celebrations will always lack the passion and aggressiveness he brings to the field. He stood like a rock and weathered all the storms that came the team’s way for 14 years but now the shield has stepped out and India will deeply feel the void left by one of its toughest warriors.
