Will Virat Kohli Retire After Failure In Ranji Trophy? Who Can Replace India Great In Test Team?
Gaikwad could be a replacement for Kohli [Source: @Rajiv1841, @serialchiller23/X]
India's legendary batter Virat Kohli had a shambolic outing on his Ranji Trophy comeback, as Railways' premier speedster Himanshu Sangwan dismissed him for six runs with a sharp nip-backer. Kohli's underwhelming performance stunned his passionate fans, who started leaving the stands once their favourite cricketer made his way back to the dugout.
It's worth mentioning that Virat Kohli couldn't live up to the expectations in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. In nine innings, Kohli could score only 190 runs at a mediocre average of 23.75, letting the tourists down with a prolonged lean patch.
Therefore, the Ranji Trophy encounter against Railways held significant importance for the Delhi batter, who was searching for a breakthrough knock to regain his mojo. Unfortunately, however, he fell prey to Sangwan's peach of a delivery, sustaining his rough patch in red-ball cricket.
Will Virat Kohli Retire From Tests After His Failure In Ranji Trophy?
Virat Kohli's dismissal in the Ranji Trophy match against Railways once again shed light on his vulnerability against the deliveries pitched around the off stump. Interestingly, Kohli has historically been prone to such deliveries that have continuously challenged his technique against quality pace attacks in red-ball cricket.
His performance in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) Tests has been on a decline since January 2020, as he averages only 28.80 in these countries in this period. He hasn't been phenomenal at home either, managing 778 runs at an ordinary average of 29.92 in the last five years.
So, considering his prolonged torrid run, Kohli might decide to hang up his boots before the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. If he retires, here are three prominent names who might enter the Test side as his replacement.
Virat Kohli's Potential Replacements If He Announces Test Retirement
B Sai Sudharsan
- Tamil Nadu's young batter B Sai Sudharsan has been one of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit. In 47 innings, the southpaw has amassed 1948 runs at a superb average of 41.44 in First-Class cricket.
- He has been a regular member of the India A side on several overseas tours. Considering his impressive performances at home and away conditions, India might bring him into the squad if Kohli bids adieu to the format.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Experienced Indian batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has been sublime in red-ball cricket. The stylish batter from Maharashtra has slammed 2632 runs, including seven centuries and fourteen fifties, at an average of 41.77.
- His knack for converting the starts into significant scores could be a massive plus for the Indian team. He has some flaws against the moving ball; however, if he sees through the first few overs, Gaikwad can emerge as a valuable asset for the Indian Test side.
Dhruv Jurel
- Prominent Indian batter Dhruv Jurel has grabbed a million eyeballs through his remarkable performances in the domestic circuit.
- In 30 First-Class innings, Jurel has struck 1235 runs at an average of 45.74. He played some really gusty knocks on challenging pitches, emerging as India A's saviour under critical circumstances in the unofficial Test series against Australia A.
- Although Jurel has mostly batted in the lower middle order, he has all the ingredients to succeed at number four if India uses him as a surprising replacement for Virat Kohli.