New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes the side may find a batter who can replace the recently-retired Virat Kohli in the Test team, but replacing that passionate spirit showcased by the talismanic batter of playing the longer format will be hard to produce.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Kohli announced that he will be retiring from Tests with immediate effect, ending a 14-year career worth 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85. His decision arrived just five days after his veteran team-mate, India captain Rohit Sharma, retired from Test cricket.
“Many people believe we will never be able to replace Virat Kohli but I don’t think so. I have seen Sunil Gavaskar then Sachin Tendulkar and then Virat Kohli. Given the mass of talent India has and has received through the Indian Premier League, a lot of players emerge every year.
“We may be able to replace Virat Kohli – The batter, but we will never be able to replace Virat Kohli – The passionate player, the passion he showed on the ground, the energy after each ball, the sledging he produced, we may not be able to replace that player. We have got Shubman Gill, Reddy scored a century, KL Rahul’s comeback, Rishab Pant is fantastic in Tests and Yashasvi Jaiswal,” said Kaif in an exclusive conversation with IANS on Wednesday.
The retirements of Rohit and Kohli, along with Ravichandran Ashwin quitting the format last year, means India are entering a new era in Tests when they face England in a five-match Test series, starting on June 20 at Headingley.
Right-handed batter Shubman Gill has been widely seen as a front-runner to lead a new-look Indian Test team in England. Gill is also amongst the candidates to bat at number four in Kohli’s place, with Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel also in the mix.
“You see Gill’s coolness and calmness in the IPL but Virat Kohli had a different aura, he used to carry the flag on his chest. We may not be able to find that passion again. He used to want to win at all costs, encouraging the players to be aggressive, and asked his time to rain hell on his opponents.
“The sacrifices he made for the country, his fitness across the five days, we may not be able to ever replace that. The entire world has acknowledged him after his retirement, everyone is singing his praises. Whenever he came onto the field he did it to win, he never played for a draw whether as a player or as a captain which is a lesson for the youngsters,” concluded Kaif.
–IANS
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