In a span of just a few days, Indian cricket has witnessed the end of an era with two of its most celebrated players — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — stepping away from Test cricket. Their sudden retirements have left a significant void in the Indian red-ball setup, given the impact both had on the team’s growth and global standing. Neither Kohli nor Rohit had hinted at such a move.
Rohit had expressed excitement about the upcoming tour of England, while reports suggested Kohli was also gearing up for India’s next international assignment. But cricket, like life, is full of unexpected turns. Before these twin blows, Indian cricket had already bid farewell to another stalwart, Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last December.
Reacting to the recent developments, Ashwin paid tribute to his former teammates while reflecting on their contrasting styles and individual journeys. “Virat and Rohit were like ice and fire — so different, yet they completed each other,” Ravichandran Ashwin remarked on his YouTube channel.
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He recalled how Rohit Sharma was initially set to make his Test debut before Kohli in 2010, but a sudden ankle injury delayed his start, ultimately pushing his debut to 2013.
“Had Rohit debuted in 2010 as planned, I believe he could’ve matched Kohli’s Test milestones,” Ravichandran Ashwin stated. Kohli, who began his Test career in 2011 against the West Indies, was already being seen as India’s next big superstar after leading the U-19 team to a World Cup win.
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While Kohli finishes with 123 Test matches and Rohit with 67, their contributions go beyond numbers. “You can’t buy experience,” Ashwin said. “Virat’s infectious energy and Rohit’s calm will be sorely missed.” However, Ashwin acknowledged that retirement is the destiny of even the greatest. “No matter how big a player is, even Sachin Tendulkar had to retire one day,” he concluded, as Indian cricket stands at the crossroads of a generational shift.
