The fate of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will boil down to what happens on the final day of the fifth Test at London’s Oval. England need 35 runs to win but have four wickets in hand. The hosts currently lead the series 2-1 against Shubman Gill’s India.
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While the Indian team has played plenty of fighting Test cricket over the span of the last few weeks in England — epitomized by Rishabh Pant batting with a broken toe when India needed him to bat in the previous Test — Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor said he could not help but miss former India captain Virat Kohli.
“I’ve been missing Virat Kohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you!” Tharoor wrote on X.
Kohli announced his retirement from the Test format in May this year. The 36-year-old Kohli’s red-ball career spanned 14 years and 123 Tests. The Delhi batter made his Test debut against the West Indies on June 20, 2011, in Kingston.
“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life,” Kohli wrote on his Instagram handle.
“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” Kohli had added.
Kohli ended the posted with “#269, signing off”.
