Former Indian cricketer has a special appeal for Virat Kohli after India’s narrow defeat at Lord’s. He believes Kohli still has more to offer in Test cricket, and urges him to return.
Just a day after India’s 22-run loss to England at Lord’s, former World Cup winner Madan Lal has made a strong appeal for Virat Kohli to return to Test cricket. Kohli had announced his retirement from the longest format shortly before the start of the England series, but Lal believes the door should remain open, and that Kohli still has plenty left to contribute.
“Virat Kohli’s passion for Indian cricket was unmatched,” Lal told CricketPredicta. “It’s my wish that he should come back to Test cricket after retirement. There’s nothing wrong with returning.”
India lost a closely-fought third Test despite a late fightback from Ravindra Jadeja and the tailenders. The result gave England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with many fans and former players lamenting the absence of experienced hands like Kohli.
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“If not in this series, he should make a comeback in the next,” Lal said. “From my point of view, he should reverse his retirement. Because he can easily play for 1-2 years. It’s about you passing your experience to the youngsters. You just left it. It’s not too late. Please come back.”
Kohli's decision to retire from Test cricket came as a surprise to many, especially given his leadership record and performances in the format. He remains one of India’s highest run-scorers and a key figure in the team’s modern red-ball success.
Shubman Gill’s Form Raises Eyebrows After Lord’s Test
Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Vaughan has pointed out a dip in Shubman Gill’s technical sharpness during the Lord’s Test. Gill, who has had a strong series so far with a double century and a hundred in earlier matches, managed just 16 and 6 in the third Test.
“When things got spicy on the third evening, I felt that brought the best out of England for the remainder of the game,” Vaughan wrote in The Telegraph. “Shubman Gill did not look as technically tight or calm as usual when he came out to bat on the fourth evening.”
Despite Gill’s poor outing, Vaughan was impressed by the grit shown by the Indian team on the final day. “His team fought so hard on Monday in a fabulous Test,” he added.
Gill had starred in the opening Test at Headingley and followed it with a marathon knock in Birmingham, helping India secure a 336-run win in the second match. However, his twin failures at Lord’s have raised questions ahead of the fourth Test.
