Kumble Urges For Rohit-Kohli's Farewell (Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com)
The Indian cricket fans are going through a tough phase as their heroes are hanging up their boots from the longest format. Just days after Rohit Sharma announced his Test retirement, Virat Kohli followed suit, drawing the curtain on a golden era.
After a day of Kohli’s retirement, former Indian skipper Anil Kumble made a bold take, urging the board to honor the iconic duo with a proper send-off.
Kumble Urges Send Off For Ro-Ko
On May 7, Rohit Sharma came up with a shocking announcement as he hung up his boots in Tests. Amidst this, Virat Kohli’s retirement talk swirls. Just when fans hoped the rumors were untrue, Kohli made it official, calling time on his Test career. Fans couldn’t have a bigger heartbreak after their consecutive retirement.
After a shaky Test series against Australia, questions were raised over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s careers, and before stepping into the upcoming Test series against England, they hung up their boots. As the iconic duo signed off, former captain Anil Kumble urged the BCCI to ensure the duo receives a fitting farewell worthy of their legendary contributions.
“Right now, Rohit Sharma, a few days ago, and then Virat Kohli. I think all three of them deserved a proper send-off on the field. I strongly believe people who matter need to address that. I know it is a social media age, yes, the fans want to be there, there would have been plenty of fans and have a roaring send off,” Kumble said.
Rohit And Kohli’s Absence Will Be Felt Against England
Over the years, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the strongest pillars of the Indian Test side. As players and even as captains, they have created a legacy. Kohli, in particular, revolutionized Test cricket with his brilliance. As the team gears up for the next series, Anil Kumble believes their absence will be deeply felt in the squad.
“Rohit has retired, he had been captain for a while, and Virat is probably the most accomplished captain for India, and you would have wanted one of the guys to be around. England is going to be tough, it is a five-Test... I think it must have come as a surprise to the selectors as well. I'm sure the selectors would have looked to pursue him,” he added.
After missing out on qualifying for the WTC 2023-25 final, Team India will start their WTC 2025-27 cycle with the upcoming Test series against England. The first match will take place on June 20, but with the Test captaincy still undecided, fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the new leader.
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