With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recently announcing their retirement from Test cricket, India are set to lose not only two of their most accomplished batters, but also two influential leaders. Their departure marks the end of an era characterised by resilience, aggressive intent, and historic overseas victories.
As the team navigate this significant transition, questions will arise about the pair’s impact on India’s Test side and what the future holds. Will the next generation be able to fill the void left by these modern greats? Will India be able to reclaim their supremacy in Tests after losing two prized assets?
Sharma and Kohli have been the linchpins of Indian batting in all three formats for more than a decade. In addition, both are genuine leaders, having captained the team over the last many years. Sharma first succeeded Kohli as India’s captain for the limited-overs setups in 2021; after Kohli resigned as captain of the Test team, he was made the captain of the national side in all three formats in February 2022.
We’re already aware of the runs and records the two have registered in ODIs, but their experience and performances in the whites have also been crucial to India’s success—especially away from home—enabling them to reach two consecutive World Test Championship finals.
With the selection pending for the upcoming five-match Test series away in England this July, India will have to send a particularly inexperienced batting lineup. Considering the significance of this high-profile series, it’s unfortunate timing from the two stalwarts.
It’s relatively easy for any young batter to make their international debut in home conditions. In a high-pressure situation away from home, against world-class opposition, it’s going to be very difficult to take the baby steps, as any kind of failure could close the door on their international Test career for the foreseeable future.
Nevertheless, the Indian selection committee now has to look ahead in terms of finding not just replacements for Sharma and Kohli, but also the next Test captain. Being the current vice-captain, Jasprit Bumrah looks like the obvious candidate to get the promotion.
We now look at some candidates who could replace Sharma and Kohli in the batting order.
Top-order replacements
Since Sharma opened the innings in for India in Tests, these could be his possible replacements at the top of the order.
Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill started as an opener in Test cricket but was moved down the order to accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal. Hence, there’s a possibility he is given the opening slot alongside Jaiswal.
Also, being the limited-overs vice-captain, Gill could be in line for the Test vice-captaincy. However, his form in the format has been a matter of concern over the past year, and it remains to be seen whether he still has the confidence of the Indian selectors.
KL Rahul
KL Rahul is one of the most experienced Indian batters in the current lineup. He has previously opened in Tests; with Rishabh Pant playing down the order, he could replace Sharma as an opener.
Even though Rahul has also had a topsy-turvy year in Tests, he is still seen as a flexible player who can slot in anywhere in the lineup and has played several responsible, high-pressure innings in recent matches.
Sai Sudharsan
Young Sai Sudharsan is also a viable option for the opening slot. The Tamil Nadu southpaw has been consistent in domestic and IPL cricket since last season.
A technical, freely scoring batter with a calm temperament, Sudharsan has all the qualities required to excel in Test cricket. The 23-year-old hasn’t played many first-class games, but his stats are still decent for a player in the early stages of his career. In List A cricket, Sudharsan has scored 1,396 runs in 29 matches at an average of 60.69 and a highest score of 154.
That said, with Yashaswi Jaiswal being left-handed as well and already part of India’s Test setup, it remains to be seen if Sudharsan will get the nod ahead of a right-handed batter for the opening slot.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad is another opener who has impressed in domestic cricket and the IPL in the past few seasons. The right-handed batter also captains Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy.
With a solid technique and the ability to go big when required, the 28-year-old could be considered for the Test team. He has already played for India in the white-ball formats.
Gaikwad’s first-class and List A stats are impressive. In List A cricket, he has scored 4,324 runs in 86 matches with an average of 56.15 and a top score of 220*. A Test debut could be on the cards.
Abhimanyu Easwaran
The 29-year-old West Bengal batter has been one of the best in domestic cricket for quite a few seasons now. He hasn’t been able to break into the national Test side due to the emergence of young players like Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who have been preferred over him.
Easwaran’s performances in the domestic circuit can’t be overlooked. The talented right-hander has been consistently performing season after season. In 101 first-class matches, he has scored over 7,000 runs at an average of 48.47, with 27 centuries to his name.
The upcoming England tour looks like an ideal scenario for the experienced Easwaran, and his consistent domestic performances certainly warrant him being rewarded with an opportunity.
Middle-order replacements
Kohli’s departure opens up a slot down the order as well.
As mentioned above, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and even Ruturaj Gaikwad could play in the middle, as they are versatile players. Apart from them, there are some other players the selection committee could look at as short-term or long-term replacements.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer has represented India in all three formats. While he has been simply exceptional in the limited-overs formats, his exclusion from the Test side is the result of an unfortunate combination of injuries and his inability to handle the short ball.
However, Iyer has been working hard on his technique, and recent performances suggest that his problems with the short ball have been dealt with. In 14 Test matches for India, he has scored 811 runs at an average of 35.3, with a century to his name as well.
Returning to the Test setup won’t be easy for the 30-year-old, especially since he hasn’t played in the format for over a year, though his current form in ODIs and T20Is is exceptional. Undoubtedly, Iyer is a talented player with the experience, skills, and temperament to succeed in any format.
Karun Nair
Karun Nair has been in phenomenal form in domestic cricket. The 33-year-old, who plays for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy, is also only the second Indian batter ever after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Tests.
Despite that feat, however, Nair hasn’t had a sustained stint with the Indian Test side. In the recent domestic season, though, he scored a massive 828 runs in just nine Ranji Trophy matches to take Vidarbha to a third title.
Nair has certainly been knocking on the door after a successful domestic stint, and there will be a lot of expectant fans wanting to see the batter make the cut this time.
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut last year against England at home after performing consistently in the domestic setup for several seasons. However, he has been inconsistent in his short international career and has struggled away from home.
That said, Khan has only played six Tests so far, batting with an average of 37.10, and arguably deserves more chances to prove himself. It will be interesting to see if the selectors place their faith in him for a high-profile away Test series.
Dhruv Jurel
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter is another option for the middle-order slot. Even though he has had very few opportunities in the red-ball format, Jurel’s technique and temperament have been impressive whenever he has played.
The 24-year-old has featured in four Tests so far, batting six innings and scoring 202 runs at an average of 40.40, with a top score of 90.
Jurel is a player of interest for the selectors given his ability to bat anywhere in the middle order and shine under pressure.
Replacing great players is hardly ever easy, but India are fortunate to have a strong pool of young talent coming through. The challenge now is to make smart, well-considered choices—backing players who not only have the right technique, but also fit the roles they’re picked for.
Competing at the highest level demands more than just skill—it requires mental toughness, resilience, and a consistently positive attitude in the face of adversity. Striking the right balance will be challenging, and the transition may come with grave uncertainties.
However, given the depth of talent in the pipeline, if there is faith shown in the ones selected, there’s every reason to believe that India’s future remains promising.
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