Virat Kohli called time on an illustrious Test career on Monday, May 12, 2025, just five days after Rohit Sharma decided to hang up his boots in the longest format of the game. With both the Indian stalwarts expected to be available for the series against England, as per media reports, the past week became a scene-stealer. It is difficult to comprehend what went on behind the scenes that prompted both cricketers to retire from Test cricket. But it isn't rocket science to understand that somewhere, something must have gone wrong.

While many would argue that their red-ball form was nothing to write home about in the recent past, and that might have played a role in both deciding to step away, one can’t help but wonder—did that realisation truly emerge only in the past week? It is hard for some of us to believe that. And under the circumstances, given the previous history, the BCCI will not come to our rescue to put all speculation to rest before it spirals. If it hasn't yet.

Kohli played 123 Test matches for India and scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. Not bad by any stretch of imagination, although the last three-four years have been tough for him as a Test batter. His record as captain is the best by a country mile. Having led the team on 68 occasions, most by any Indian, Kohli's win percentage stands at 58.82 (40 wins, 11 draws), losing just 17 of them. The next best - that gap remains so vast, even a microscope wouldn't help spot where to begin. His Test legacy as a captain and his influence on red-ball cricket warrant a separate conversation altogether—one that demands time and reflection. And that we will perhaps have, once the dust settles.

With Rohit no longer there, and Jasprit Bumrah out of the captaincy race, given his fragile back, workload management, and availability, who would you choose to lead? To some of us, it is a no-brainer. There are reports of Shubman Gill being given the job to groom him for the future. That makes little sense. For some of us, grooming is mostly done under the shadow of an established leader and not while on the job.

And certainly not, if we are talking about India's Test captaincy. You get the job when you are ready for it, and not learn the ropes while already holding the reins. If Kohli wanted it, he should have been given the job in the best interest of Indian cricket. And if he wasn't, he has every right to be disappointed.

The next question is whether age is a factor that might have gone against him. We can all collectively agree that he continues to be one of the fittest cricketers around in the world. So on one hand, we say that age is just a number and the overall impact that a player has should be the only criterion for selection, while on the other, we doubt whether he will survive a couple of years more, given that he is not getting younger. Yes, his Test form is a concern, but if he managed to do it in 2018, there is no reason why he can't in 2025 in England. It is more of a mental adjustment. Mind you, easier said than done, but if anybody can - it is Kohli.

India are set to kick off their World Test Championship campaign for the 2025-27 cycle with the five-match Test series against England, starting June 20, 2025, at Headingley, Leeds. The inexperience at the top of the order, with no Kohli and Rohit, might come back to haunt us. While the younger ones might still go on to do a great job, Kohli's presence might have just bolstered India's chances, even if it is by that bit. Remember, it is a game of margins. And for BCCI, a stitch in time might have saved nine.

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