Are India missing Virat Kohli in the Tests vs England?

India went into the first Test against England at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad without Virat Kohli. The senior batter was named in the squad for the first two Tests of the five-match series. However, he subsequently pulled out citing personal reasons

In his absence, Team India lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. At the halfway stage of the match, they looked in control. Bowling first after losing the toss, they knocked over England for 246 in 64.3 overs and replied with 436 to claim a huge lead of 190 runs.

It was chalk and cheese in the second innings, though, as England recovered from 163/5 to post 420, courtesy of Ollie Pope’s brilliant 196. Debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley then claimed 7/62 as India were bowled out for 202, chasing a target of 231.

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Could Virat Kohli have made a difference to India in Hyderabad?

In the wake of India’s disappointing performance in Hyderabad, a number of critics and fans are wondering whether Kohli’s presence in the playing XI in the first Test could have made a difference. After all, the 35-year-old has been India’s most consistent batter across formats over the last decade. Having said that, his value to the side goes beyond just his significant contributions with the willow.

His mere presence is inspiring for teammates as he brings along a different kind of aura and positivity that automatically rubs off on the rest of the side. Being a former captain, and a highly successful one at that, Kohli is also a great help to current leader Rohit Sharma, who clearly could have benefited from his expertise in Hyderabad.

Coming back to his batting, he has been in wonderful form in both white-ball and red-ball cricket over the last year and a half. While he smashed a record-breaking 765 runs in 11 innings during the 2023 ODI World Cup, with three hundreds and six fifties, the right-hander was India’s best batter by some distance during the Test series in South Africa.

Kohli was India’s leading run-getter in the two-match series against the Proteas, scoring 172 runs in four innings at an average of 43.

The former Team India captain’s performance stood out even as almost all the other visiting batters struggled. KL Rahul did score a valiant hundred in the first Test in Centurion, but ended up with 113 runs from three innings at an average of 37.67. Shubman Gill scored 74 runs in four innings, skipper Rohit 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 50 and Shreyas Iyer 41.

The above numbers clearly prove that, despite the Cape Town triumph, India went into the Test against England in Hyderabad with their batters out of form, with the exception of Kohli and Rahul. With not much pressure on him and the exuberance of an uncomplicated mind, Jaiswal managed to lift his game in the first innings, striking a dazzling half-century.

The case was not the same with the other batters. Captain Rohit did get starts, but was guilty of not converting them. Gill and Shreyas, who are under the scanner following a string of low scores in Test cricket, carried the psychological baggage of their struggles in South Africa into the Hyderabad Test and were discernibly found wanting - technically and mentally.

Coming back to the big question of Kohli’s absence, his availability for the Hyderabad Test could not have guaranteed a win for India, for cricket is a team sport after all. But his presence would have strengthened the Indian batting order for sure and would have put England under greater pressure.

It goes without saying that India are missing Kohli - not just as a senior batter, but the complete package that he is.

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Expert view: “Virat Kohli has that presence and intensity, which is missing currently”

Former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar reckons that India are definitely missing Kohli’s presence and intensity on the field. He urged Team India captain Rohit to lift himself and prove that he can turn things around without the senior cricketer’s presence.

“India need to stop giving the freedom that the England players are getting. If Virat Kohli was playing he would have been in the faces of these England players and told them, 'Hey, do it again let's see how good you are',” Panesar told news agency ANI.

"Virat Kohli has that presence and intensity, which is missing currently in the India team. Virat Kohli has that aura and presence. If England win the next Test match then India will be in big trouble. This is a big moment for Rohit Sharma, he needs to show that he can turn around the match without Virat Kohli," he concluded.

Significantly, apart from Kohli, India will also miss the services of Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for the second Test in Vizag. Both the key players sustained injuries during the Hyderabad Test. According to some reports, there is no clarity over whether Kohli will return for the last two Tests of the England series.