‘Unfortunate and sad that Virat Kohli retired from Tests despite BCCI's best efforts’: Ex-chief selector MSK Prasad
MSK Prasad expressed disbelief and shock upon learning about Virat Kohli's Test retirement, saying he finds it difficult to understand the decision.
Virat Kohli, often viewed as someone who defined a generation of Test cricketers, left the stage in an uncharacteristically quiet manner - by announcing his Test retirement with an Instagram post. He brought the curtain down on a glorious career, having played 123 Tests. The right-hander amassed 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. He would have finished with a lot more runs had he not suffered a massive dip in form in the last five years, where runs were hard to come by for the Indian talisman in Tests.
In the last five years, Kohli scored just four centuries. His last ton came in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia when he went past the three-figure mark in the second innings of the series opener in Perth. However, he suffered a fall following his 30th Test century. He kept chasing deliveries bowled outside off stump as the likes of Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc made full merry.
Ahead of the crucial five-match England Test series, Kohli decided to bid adieu to red-ball cricket. For the past week, reports claimed Kohli has made up his mind, but the BCCI is trying their best to persuade the former India captain to rethink his decision and board the flight for the UK tour.
Former India chief selector MSK Prasad spoke to Hindustan Times shortly after Kohli's announcement. He expressed disbelief and shock upon learning about the development, saying he finds it difficult to understand the decision, especially when the team management and BCCI were trying to ask him not to retire.
"I didn't expect this, actually. I felt that he has that in him to play at least this cycle. But we have to respect his opinion. While we respect his opinion, I feel that he has two more years to offer for Test cricket. It is very, very unfortunate that he has taken this decision. I am so very sad to know that in spite of the effort by the BCCI and the team management, he has taken this call, but at the end of the day, we have to respect an individual's opinion, especially a legendary cricketer like him, someone who has got 9000 plus Test runs. So we have to respect his opinion," Prasad told Hindustan Times.
"I am sure the management and BCCI would have made that effort because whatever the media reports that we were getting he was asked to reconsider. Undoubtedly, Test cricket will miss him. Indian cricket will miss him. I have always been a big admirer of him," he added.
'Virat brought the energy to Test cricket'
Virat Kohli, who took over the captaincy reins from MS Dhoni, made India a force to be reckoned with in the longest format. Virat Kohli is the most successful Test captain for India, winning 40 out of the 68 Tests he led in. Kohli has a win percentage of 70.17 as the captain in the longest format.
MSK Prasad, who worked closely with Virat Kohli during his stint as the selector, said Kohli always brought energy to Tests. He also alluded to the fact of how Kohli was a backer of having five bowlers in every Test. It must be mentioned that it was Virat Kohli who championed the current pace battery of India. Who can forget his "give them 60 overs of hell." during the Lord's Test against England? The likes of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, all came into their own under Kohli's leadership.
"So when it comes to Test cricket, the kind of energy, see usually people bring that energy in T20 games or 50 overs games. But the kind of energy that Virat brings to the team or to the Test match, from ball one to the last ball of the Test field post, I think it is second to none. It's unbelievable," said Prasad.
"Probably the quality which has helped us in winning a lot of Test matches abroad. And that 5-bowler theory, which he actually had, you know, all of us were instrumental in that. It is one of those reasons why our past bowlers have thrived, and they have flourished, and we have won matches abroad," he added.
How will the transition play out after Virat Kohli's retirement?
With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Tests, India have their task cut out in the upcoming tour of England. Head coach Gautam Gambhir needs to find solutions and it needs to be seen who takes over the mantle from Virat Kohli to bat at No.4.
However, Prasad reckons the upcoming England tour won't be that difficult as even England are going through a transition phase. "I sense that the Indian team is going through a little bit of a transition phase. So is the English team. England is also going through a transition phase only. They are not at their best. The only advantage that they have is that they are playing at home. Otherwise, they are also a team which is going through a transition phase. So I don't really see that, you know, we have enough players who played and got some runs behind them to put up a good show," said Prasad.
"Like KL Rahul. Shubman Gill. Yashasvi Jaiswal. Some of them have been in England in the last 4-5 years. That's what I am saying. If you see England's side, they are also going through a transition phase. So it's going to be interesting to see which of the young units is going to come out successful," he added.
