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Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav handed ultimatum to win every ICC title without fail, Shubman Gill warned of shaky future
Team India endured a tough start to its post-Kohli era in Test cricket, losing the opening match of the series against England by 5 wickets.
India’s long and grinding five-match Test series against England is already off to a rocky start, with a five-wicket defeat at Headingley piling early pressure on the Shubman Gill-led side. This is India’s first major red-ball outing since Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket earlier this year, and the absence of his experience in crunch moments was felt. With Rohit Sharma also retiring from the format, the Test team has entered a transitional phase, one that will test the depth and maturity of a young group led by a relatively inexperienced captain.
The broader landscape across formats, however, paints a far more stable picture. Under Rohit Sharma, India clinched the T20 World Cup in 2024 and followed it up with the Champions Trophy in March this year, a strong statement after the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final exit. India may have missed their shot at a home title in 2023, but they now appear to have regained their footing in white-ball cricket, with clarity in roles and consistency in results.
Also read: India given wake-up call by England wicketkeeper after hosts ‘put them to bed’ in series opener in Headingley
It’s in this backdrop that former England cricketer Allan Lamb offered a sharp assessment of India’s current trajectory. Speaking to PTI, Lamb lauded India’s strength in one-day cricket but made it clear that the red-ball setup could struggle in the absence of two pillars, Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
“In one-day cricket, India should win every competition. In Test matches, you’re going to rely a lot on Bumrah, and you’re going to miss Virat Kohli big time,” Lamb said, echoing a sentiment that has become more visible in the aftermath of the Headingley loss.
Over-reliance on Bumrah
Bumrah remains India’s most bankable match-winner in Tests, a fact reinforced by his recent five-wicket haul in the Leeds Test. But with the pacer’s availability being managed carefully. He’s only playing three out of five matches in the ongoing series, and the burden on him is enormous.
Kohli’s absence, meanwhile, has left a gaping hole in India’s middle-order leadership and temperament, something that won’t be easy to replace overnight. Gill did, however, made an impressive start as he succeeded Kohlia at the No.4 spot in Indian Test team, smashing a century in the first Test.
