Mumbai: Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Saturday conceded that the void left by the Test retirement of premier cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is tough to fill, but hoped that other players will step up during the upcoming tour of England.
Rohit was the first to announce retirement from Test cricket on May 7, while his long-time teammate Kohli followed suit on May 12.
“When guys like that retire, they are stalwarts of cricket…it is always difficult, (their) shoes are very big to fill. But one way of looking at it is, that it’s an opportunity for others,” Agarkar told the media after announcing India’s 18-member squad for the five-Test series starting June 20.
“Virat reached out (to the BCCI/selection committee) in early April and he felt he had given everything he had. If he felt he could not be up to the standards that he has set, you have got to respect that,” Agarkar said in a press conference on Saturday (May 24) after he announced India’s squad for the upcoming Test series against England.
There were rumours about Kohli and Rohit’s retirement from Test cricket after a below-par performance last year. Kohli began the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a century at Perth but could not continue his impressive batting, scoring just 190 runs from all five Test matches he played against Australia.
Agarkar was questioned if the BCCI and others requested Kohli and Rohit to stay back for the England tour, considering the importance of the tie.
“When somebody takes a call (to retire), it is not up to me. Retirement is a personal call. It’s a new WTC (World Test Championship) cycle and you are looking at all scenarios to help build a team,” Agarkar said.
There were rumours that Kohli wanted to travel to England for a farewell series, but Agarkar didn’t delve into it, saying that the decision to move away from Tests was made by the former captain.
There were rumours that Virat Kohli had expressed interest in playing a farewell series in England, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar chose not to comment on them. He simply stated that the decision to step away from Test cricket was made by the former captain himself.
“When somebody decides, it’s not up to us. Our job is to pick up someone. But yes, when somebody finishes…two big cricketers, it will be a hole to fill. Of course, (Mohammad) Shami too is there, as he has done a lot for Indian cricket,” Agarkar said.
