Geoffrey Boycott Highlights Virat Kohli’s Departure As Major Setback For Team India Compared To Rohit Sharma

Former England Cricketer Geoffrey Boycott expressed that missing out on Virat Kohli would have a bigger impact on the Indian Cricket Team than not having Rohit Sharma. The ex-cricketer emphasized that Rohit is a supreme stroke player but he would not be missed as much as Kohli, who holds better numbers and records in the game's longest formats. However, Boycott added that Virat's batting has been inconsistent in his 30s, but it was not surprising to him.

Geoffrey Boycott Believes Team India Will Miss Virat Kohli's Presence More

The Indian Cricket Team will begin their World Test Championship Cycle against England in what is expected to be an entertaining five-match series. The Indian side has witnessed a change in their leadership unit as Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant take charge of the side as the skipper and vice-captain, respectively. Team India lacks veteran strength as the Big Three of Indian Test — R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli — have called time to their careers in the longest format.

Geoffrey Boycott expressed that losing out on Virat Kohli would have a bigger impact on the Indian Team than missing out on the skipper Rohit Sharma because of his test record.

“It does not matter how much talent or experience you have, if you are not mentally fresh and up for the challenge, then it becomes draining. 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. In the last couple of years his batting was a little inconsistent, which was not surprising in his late 30s," Geoffrey Boycott wrote in his column for The Daily Telegraph.

Also Read: India T20I Leader Suryakumar Yadav Seeks Consultation In UK For Sports Hernia Issues, May Undergo Surgery: Reports

Headingley Set To Host England-India Series Opener

After emerging as the runner-up in the World Test Championship Final, Team India will be eager to aim for a better finish in the WTC Standings. The Indian side had faltered in the final stages, losing to New Zealand 0-3 and Australia 2-3, which hampered their chances of being a part of the historic WTC Final.

England, on the other hand, would be hungry to begin the new WTC Cycle with a bang. Their bazball strategy did not work in the previous cycle, and they intend to deliver a better outcome this time. After their one-off test against Zimbabwe, they would be challenged by a young and dynamic Indian side on June 20 at Headingley.

Also Read: IND v ENG: Predicting England's Playing XI For First Test vs India - Ollie Pope Over Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes to Get The Nod?