ENG vs IND: Should Virat Kohli still be in India’s Test squad?

Speculations about Virat Kohli's possible retirement from Test cricket have been floating around every corner of social media. Weeks before India's tour to England, the batter's probable retirement from the longest format of the game makes it more significant.

Rohit Sharma already walked away from the whites, which left Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah as the only senior cricketers of the Test setup. While Jadeja is an all-rounder and Bumrah a pacer, Rahul and Virat as the senior batters of the team; the rest mainly stand on a new blood system.

With more swing and bounce, probably more grass on the surface makes English conditions more bowler-friendly than batters. Batsmen need skills, techniques, resilience, and experience to survive on the wickets and build a solid foundation that can lead the team to a possible win.

Read More: 5 players who can replace Virat Kohli in Test cricket

When we talk about required elements to survive in English conditions, the name Virat Kohli first pops up in the discussion among the current Indian cricket team. If reports are to be believed, BCCI asked him to reconsider his decision about retirement from Tests, as India is set to play England in an away series that will mark a new circle of the World Test Championship (WTC).

Virat's natural leadership quality can be an advantage in England

Despite the right-handed batter's underwhelming form in recent tests, his bag is full of experience, and current form in the IPL 2025 can force BCCI to consider the former cricketer's name. Under the leadership of Virat, India went right to the top of the world Test rankings and became one of the most dominating forces in international cricket. 

Kohl's natural leadership abilities can play a crucial role on the field. When Team India traveled to England back in 2021, Kohli was on song, scoring 2 half centuries and another two innings near the 50s. The flamboyant cricketer produced his last Test 100 in Perth during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November 2024, which can be a hint that Virat is closing towards his shoes and a possible shout to feature in the England vs. India Test series, which is scheduled to start on June 20, 2025.