Follow Us;Resize=(820,462) "Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma")
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's Test retirements, highlighting the 'big shoes to fill'. He revealed Kohli informed him of his decision in April, acknowledging the stalwarts' contributions.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Ajit Agarkar has broken his silence on the Test retirements of two batting stalwarts - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, ahead of the England Test tour.
The BCCI chief selector Agarkar announced a 16-member squad for the five-match Test series against England, while naming Shubman Gill as India’s new Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. There was a lot of buzz and anticipation around the squad announcement, as it marks the beginning of a new era in Indian Test cricket following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli pulled their curtains on illustrious Test careers before the England Tour, while Ravichandran Ashwin called it quits from international cricket after the Gabba Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Related Articles
‘Big shoes to fill’: Agarkar on Rohit, Kohli’s Test retirements
Speaking at the press conference after announcing the India squad for the Test series against England, Ajit Agarkar acknowledged that the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Aswhin left huge shoes to fill, hailing them as ‘stalwarts’ of Indian cricket. Agarkar added that Kohli reached out to him in April with his decision to retire from Test cricket.
“When guys like these retire, there will always be big holes to fill. Ashwin retired a few months back as well. Those three guys are the stalwarts of our cricket. It is always difficult. I have had conversations with both of them.” the chief selector said.
“Virat reached out in early April and said he wants to finish...Maybe it was time for him, and when it comes from him, you need to respect that. Both of them have earned that respect. We will obviously miss him. He is a guy who has played 123 test matches and scored 30 Test centuries.” he added.
Virat Kohli retired as the fourth-leading run-getter for Team India in Tests, amassing 9230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 centuries, at an average of 46 in 123 matches. While Rohit Sharma finished his Test career with 4301 runs, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties, at an average of 40.57 in 67 matches.
Ajit Agarkar on not picking Jasprit Bumrah as Test captain
Jasprit Bumrah was among the contenders to take up captaincy duties in Test cricket, but the selectors decided to go with Shubman Gill as successor to Rohit Sharma as India’s skipper in the longest format of the game.
Speaking about not picking Bumrah as the Test captain, Agarkar cited workload management as the reason for the decision.
“Bumrah was the vice-captain in Australia, but since he was not available for all five [Tests then], we wanted him fit.” Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference.
"We'd rather have him bowling as well as he does than put extra burden on him. We had a chat with him and he's okay with it. It was to do with his workload management and about having him fit as a player." he added.
