Ben Stokes Praises Kohli as India Faces Transition Ahead of Test Series
England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, has expressed his admiration for Virat Kohli’s tenacity, noting India will significantly miss him in the upcoming five-match Test series in the UK, set to kick off on June 20. With Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepping away from Test cricket, young batsman Shubman Gill will take the reins of a new-look Indian team.
In a video released by England Cricket, Stokes spoke of Kohli’s impact on the game, emphasizing, "India will miss his fighting spirit, competitiveness, and desire to win. He has made number 18 his own, and it’s going to be strange not seeing it on the back of any Indian jersey. He has been a class act for them for many years."
Stokes also revealed that he reached out to Kohli after he announced his retirement from red-ball cricket. "I texted him, saying it’s a shame I won’t get to play against him anymore. I really enjoy our battles on the field; we both have that same competitive mindset," he shared.
Kohli exits the scene as India’s fourth-highest run scorer in Test cricket, accumulating 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 across 123 matches. His impressive record includes 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, with an average consistently above 55 from 2016 to 2019. In both 2016 and 2017, he achieved a staggering annual average exceeding 75.
Notably, after the retirement of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in 2013, Kohli stepped up to fill the number four spot, scoring 7,564 runs in 160 innings at an average of 50.09 in that position.
As India embarks on a new chapter, the team looks to break a long-standing winless streak in Test series in England, having last claimed victory there in July 2007. Kohli played a crucial role during his time, leading India in 10 Tests in England, the most by any Indian captain, with MS Dhoni trailing behind with nine. Under Kohli’s leadership, India won three and lost six Tests in England.
As the series approaches, the spotlight will be on how the Indian side adapts to life without one of its all-time greats.
