From Legends To Memories: The Sudden End Of Kohli-Rohit Test Era

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill [Source: OneCricket]Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill [Source: OneCricket]

Indian Cricket has faced seismic shifts in a span of just five days. May 2025 will be remembered in the country's cricketing history as it lost two of its biggest jewels in modern cricketing history. The cricket craze nation faces a question that seemed unimaginable just weeks ago - Was India prepared for this double now?

The Twin Departures That Shook Indian Cricket

Rohit Sharma announced his retirement on May 7th, which came as a surprise to many fans despite the poor run of form the Indian opener was going through in the format. Before the nation could have coped up with the loss, Virat Kohli announced his decision to hang up the whites on May 12. 

Were The Signs There All Along?

Looking back, perhaps the writing was on the wall. Both men had already stepped away from T20 Internationals after India's World Cup triumph last year. The 2024-25 season had been particularly brutal – a rare 0-3 home series defeat to New Zealand and a 1-3 away loss to Australia that surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.

For Kohli, despite scoring a century in Perth, his remaining eight innings in Australia yielded just 90 runs. Rohit's batting decline was equally concerning. With both players entering their late 30s and the hectic multi-format calendar only growing more demanding, their focus narrowing to ODIs represents not just a personal choice but reflects cricket's evolving realities.

The Legacy They Leave Behind

The numbers do not do full justification to the impact these two legends will leave behind. Virat Kohli leaves the scene with 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 and 30 Test centuries and as the fourth-highest run scorer for India in Test cricket. Kohli will also be remembered as probably the most successful Test captain for India.

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma with a career aggregate of 4,301 runs left behind some memorable performances, especially after his promotion as an opener in 2019 that changes his red-ball career. 

But the impact of these two names goes beyond statistics. Kohli's fierce competitiveness revolutionised India's approach to Test cricket, especially away from home. Rohit Sharma with his strategic acumen and calm demeanour provided stability to the Indian set-up during a transitional phase. 

Is Indian Cricket Prepared for What Comes Next?

The immediate challenge for the Indian team looms large - a five-match Test series in England. With two of their best batters gone, the onus will now be on players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant to shoulder India's batting. On the other hand, the leadership responsibilities will be shared by Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rahul with Gill expected to be the next Indian Test captain. 

The depth of the Indian domestic structure provides scope for optimism. Players like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Rajat Patidar have shown promise at the highest level and some players in the junior level are waiting for their breakthrough. However, it is experience at the highest level that matters and that is something you cannot manufacture overnight. 

The Broader Implications for Test Cricket

These retirements raise uncomfortable questions about Test cricket's future. When two of the greatest champions choose to step away while continuing ODIs, it highlights the shifting priorities in the game. If India, Test cricket's one of the biggest powerhouses, sees its icons departing prematurely, other nations face even greater challenges maintaining player commitment to the longest format.

As Indian cricket enters this unexpected new chapter, the answer to whether it was ready becomes irrelevant. Ready or not, a new era has begun – one that will test the resilience of a cricketing system that prides itself on regeneration. The jerseys numbered 18 and 45 may no longer appear in Test matches, but the standards Kohli and Rohit established will remain the benchmark for generations to come.