Geoffrey Boycott believes India will feel Virat Kohli’s absence far more than Rohit Sharma’s in the upcoming five-Test series against England.
Geoffrey Boycott Says Filling Kohli’s Shoes Will Be Tougher Than Replacing Rohit Sharma
India may be stepping into a new era under Shubman Gill, but former England opener Geoffrey Boycott believes the void left by Virat Kohli will be much harder to fill than that of Rohit Sharma. Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Boycott offered a detailed assessment of both retirements ahead of the high-profile India-England Test series.
Known for his frank opinions, Boycott acknowledged Rohit Sharma’s class but suggested his absence won’t impact India as deeply as Kohli’s. “Rohit was a superb batsman. At his best, a beautiful stroke player, but he won’t be missed as much as Kohli because his Test record was good rather than exceptional,” Boycott wrote.
Rohit, who opened the batting in Tests, enjoyed considerable success in home conditions but often struggled on seaming tracks abroad. Boycott believes England’s swinging conditions would have been especially challenging for the 37-year-old. “Rohit was never a natural athlete like Kohli, and he knows that opening the innings in England can be pretty tough because the new ball moves around more. You really have to be up for the challenge to have any chance of success,” he added.
Despite an impressive outing in India’s previous England tour—where Rohit finished as the highest run-scorer with 368 runs in four Tests—his form declined sharply in the 2024/25 season, failing to register a half-century during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This downturn contributed to his decision to retire from Test cricket.
Both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirements from the longest format in May, just weeks before India’s England tour. Boycott believes Kohli’s exit could significantly affect India’s chances in the five-match series.
First Test begins June 20
The first Test of the series, marking the start of India’s transition in the red-ball format, will begin on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds. On Wednesday, vice-captain Rishabh Pant confirmed that Shubman Gill will succeed Virat Kohli as India’s new No. 4 in the Test XI, while Pant will continue to bat at No. 5.
However, uncertainty remains over who will fill the crucial No. 3 position, with Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair emerging as the leading contenders for the role.
