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“I Don’t Believe We Missed Virat Kohli…,” Aakash Chopra Backs Gill Despite Big Loss

Aakash Saini

Aakash Chopra and Virat Kohli [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x]Aakash Chopra and Virat Kohli [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x]

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has backed newly-appointed captain Shubman Gill despite India’s humiliating five-wicket defeat against England at Headingley. The cricketer-turned-commentator also claimed that recently-retired Virat Kohli was “not missed that much” in Leeds, and said that any comparisons between him and Gill will be unfair on the latter.

It is worth noting that Kohli confirmed his retirement from Test cricket last month, thus concluding his 123-match career.

Aakash Chopra Makes Big Claim On Virat Kohli

In an exclusive chat with CREX, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra was asked if Team India missed the intensity and aggression of Virat Kohli in their latest Test against England at Headingley. While Chopra responded that Kohli’s presence will always be missed in general, his number four replacement and new captain Shubman Gill smacked a splendid century in the match. He said:

“Virat Kohli was definitely missed, there is no doubt about that. His intensity and aggression, we cannot see that anywhere else. It’s very easy to compare one player with another. But another truth is that new captain Shubman Gill batted at number four, which was Virat Kohli’s place, and made a century at Headingley in Leeds against England.”

Aakash Chopra also added that even though Virat Kohli has plundered many centuries on his own, he seemed to struggle with the bat in the few months leading up to his retirement. He further stated that Kohli’s intensity was not “as much missed” at Headingley, and any comparisons between him and Shubman Gill will be unfair on the new captain.

“Not that Virat Kohli never made a century, of course he scored many on past England tours. But Virat Kohli has been struggling with the bat for a while, and Shubman Gill scored a century and impressed in his first Test match as a captain. He was phenomenal. So, I don’t believe we missed Virat Kohli and his intensity and aggression that much, of course we can compare but it will not be fair on Shubman Gill.”

Team India will now face England in the second Test of the five-match series from July 2 onwards. The match will be hosted by Edgbaston in Birmingham.