A dressing room without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will feel strange: KL Rahul
KL Rahul, now the senior-most batter in the squad, revealed it will be a strange feeling to step onto the field without them.
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India’s upcoming five-Test tour of England will be a special series as it will be the first time in over a decade that the side will be without the services of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in Test cricket. Both legends announced their retirement from red-ball cricket in May 2025, bringing an end to two illustrious careers. KL Rahul, now the senior-most batter in the squad, revealed it will be a strange feeling to step onto the field without them.
Rahul, who made his Test debut in 2014, has played the majority of his career under Kohli’s leadership or with Rohit as a batting partner. Now, with the responsibility of heading the inexperienced batting line-up, Rahul is optimistic and ready for the upcoming challenge. However, he feels the void of Kohli and Rohit not being part of the change room.
“Virat and Rohit have been the pillars of Indian cricket for the last decade or so, and not having them around will be a huge miss. In my whole career so far, I have never walked into a team where there is no Virat or Rohit. The 50-odd Test matches that I have played, either Virat or Rohit or both of them have been there. To walk into that dressing room feels a bit strange. But of course, you have to respect their decision. They have given absolutely everything for the country and they will remain legends of Indian cricket. But it’s time for the rest of us to step up,” said Rahul to his Indian Premier League side, Delhi Capitals media team.
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The absence of Rohit, India’s top scorer on the 2021–22 England tour, and Kohli, who captained India from 2014 to 2022, has left a leadership void. However, with Shubman Gill being named as the captain of the side, and Rishabh Pant by his side as the vice-captain, the new Indian team is expected to bring forward a new brand of cricket. Meanwhile, Rahul is entering his third Test series in England. With 614 runs from nine Tests, including two centuries, he understands the conditions well.
"I started with my preparations for the England series right after the IPL. I spoke to my coach as well to get prepared for this assignment. It's always a challenge coming to England as they are a pretty good side, especially when they play at home. It's going to be a challenge for all of us as we are a comparatively young team," added Rahul.
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