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Last one week has been toiling for cricket buffs seeing two of the Indian greats, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announce retirement, along with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 getting suspended for a week due to the escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. However, with the tournament set to resume from Saturday, May 17, things are likely to get back in place.
Although, the IPL 2025 resumption will bring back the happiness of cricket enthusiasts face, but Rohit and Virat’s retirement from Test cricket is a matter to think about as there is expected to be a big void to fill in. With the Indian cricket team set to take on England for a five-match Test series, starting June 20, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will look in to find apt replacements for the veterans.
Virat will obviously be a loss: Yograj Singh after former’s Test retirement
Amidst this, former India cricketer and father of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, Yograj has shared his opinions on the duo’s retirement. While he added that a big player like Virat Kohli will be a big loss for the country in the longest format, he also reiterated that great players should not retire so early. "Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss. When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in 2011, the team fell apart and has still not stood back up. everyone's time comes. I feel a lot of cricket is still left in Virat and Rohit,” Yograj told ANI in an interview.
Furthermore, Singh recalled a similar situation which had emerged when several players of the retired, leaving a big void in the Indian team. The former India cricketer also cited that with Rohit and Kohli both retired from Test, the Indian team will have no one to motivate the youngsters. "If you form a team full of youngsters, it will always fall apart. Maybe Virat feels that he has nothing more left to achieve. If you form a team full of youngsters, it will always fall apart. Maybe Virat feels that he has nothing more left to achieve. The greatest players should play till 50 years of age... I am sad about their retirement as no one is left to motivate the youngsters now,” he added.
If reports are to be believed, Shubman Gill remains the front-runner to lead the India side in the longest format, whereas star India wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant is being looked upon to serve as his deputy if Jasprit Bumrah denies to serve in the role.
