Revealing that Virat Kohli reached out to him last month expressing his wish to retire from Test cricket, Ajit Agarkar, chairman of India’s men’s national selection committee, has asked the fans to respect the desire of stalwarts of Indian cricket who have recently called time on their Test career.
“Virat reached out early April and said he wants to finish. We have seen him give 200 per cent to every ball that he plays, even when he is not batting or he is in the field. He probably felt that he had given everything that he had and if he can’t keep up to the standards that he set for himself over the years, and how good he has been, and maybe it was time for him,” Agarkar said on Saturday, after announcing India’s Test squad for the tour of England.
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“It has come from him. You have got to respect that. They have earned that respect, both of them [Virat and Rohit Sharma]. As all great players are, they are true to themselves, and he was in that conversation. So you have got to respect that. We will obviously miss [Kohli]. When you have got a guy who has played 123 Test matches, 30 Test hundreds, it’s going to be tough to fill.”
While Agarkar didn’t elaborate on how Rohit’s Test retirement unfolded earlier this month – three days before Kohli called time on his Test career – the former India pacer stated Rohit’s “personal call” has presented an opportunity for younger lot to firm up their place in the side.
“Rohit has been a leader over the last couple of years. It is a new cycle, so it is an opportunity to build something for us as well. It is someone else’s chance now but there is no doubt we’ll miss them. I mean all three of them and [Mohammed] Shami. In Test cricket he has been incredible. So four guys like that not being part of the squad is going to make it a little bit tougher but it’’ an opportunity for other guys.”
Agarkar didn’t shy away from admitting that the stalwarts’ retirement has created a void in India’s Test side.
“When guys like that retire it’s always going to be big holes to fill. Ashwin retired a few months back as well, so those three guys are stalwarts of our cricket. It’s always difficult. They have left a legacy behind.”