BCCI's "If You Don't Score..." Warning To Virat Kohli Behind Test Exit? England Great Decodes Call

As the Indian cricket team prepares for the high-profile tour of England, a number of young stars will look to make the most of the opportunity, especially after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While the Indian cricketing spectrum is still coming to terms with the duo's exit from the longest format, it was Virat's decision that surprised people the most, considering his fitness and age. When former England spinner Monty Panesar was asked about Kohli's decision, he said that he expected the India stalwart to continue playing.

Panesar, in a chat with Hindustan Times, Panesar said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee and the coaches probably informed Virat that he would be dropped from the team if he doesn't perform well in the first two matches. Upon hearing that, the batter decided to hang up his boots.

"I think he was definitely going to play. I think England were expecting, everyone was expecting him to play. I'm surprised he's kind of like bailed out. But maybe the fact that outside off-stump, he's just thinking, well, you know, they may have had a word with him. They said, look, if you don't score well in the first couple of Test matches, don't expect to play all the five. So, he's probably thinking, well, I'll just call it a day and give the youngsters a go," the retired England spinner said.

When asked about his prediction for the series, Panesar said that a lot would depend on how the returning Karun Nair performs for India.

"It would depend on how Karun Nair performs, he scored a double-hundred against the England Lions. He and Shubman Gill, that middle-order, how they bat. I think the batters who've played county cricket, if they are able to then transform that same form at the international level, then I think India have got a chance to win. But if they just somehow freeze, it's the big stage, it's the crowd, it's playing for India, it's not playing for Surrey or some other county, and suddenly they're not playing the same level like it's for England Lions when there's only like a dog and, you know, one man and his dog," he said. 

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team Virat Kohli Karun Nair Monty Panesar England vs India, 2025 Cricket