Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar expressed surprise at the retirement of Stallwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who batted with Test cricket, stating that they thought they had already asked the pair to call it after two days. His departure left a huge void in the Indian Test team before the New World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, which began with all the important England Tour.
“Both have excellent and great cricketers, and their contribution to Indian cricket is very big. I was surprised because there is an England tour of five Tests. I felt that after a tour of England, they could call it a day, but he liked it before the tour of England. Then I think it’s his call,” Vengsarkar told IANS.
Kohli bid 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries with an impressive average of 46.85 in 123 matches for his Test career for his Test career, while Rohit attracted the screen on his red ball career with 4301 runs in 67 matches, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centers.
In June 2024, Rohit and Kohli declared retirement from T20I after the 2024 men defeated South Africa to win the T20 World Cup.
“Both are experienced players, and they have done so well in England on every tour, so this is a big disadvantage. Then, if you see that other players have done well for India’s team in first -class cricket in India, they will get an opportunity to play and establish themselves in the Indian team.”
Rohit’s retirement means that there will be a new skipper for the Indian team for visiting England for the five -match Test series starting on June 20.
When asked about who will fill the zero left in the Indian Test cricket set-up with the departure of Rohit and Kohli, Vengasarkar said, “It is difficult to say who will change them because they (Ajit Agkar) and the company are selectors as the company.
Vengasarkar then praised Shreyas Iyer for his present form. Iyer made a successful outing with bat in the Champions Trophy 2025 in March, scoring 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60. He gave his fine form in IPL 2025, where he led his side (Punjab Kings) from the front as PBK reached the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
In this process, Iyer became the first captain to lead three separate franchises in the IPL playoffs (Delhi Capital in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024). Iyer’s run in IPL 2025 is currently 435, including two half -centuries.
“He is a good player, there is no question about it and he has been very well done over the years,” he is an experienced player, “the veteran asked if Iyer’s current form can help fill him with T20 Eye Eye Eye Eye and Test format.
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