Virat Kohli has been selected by former English captain Michael Vaughan to captain Team India in the forthcoming five-match Test series in England, which kicks off on June 20. Shubman Gill should be his deputy for the aforementioned Test series, the 50-year-old continued.
The comments came as Jasprit Bumrah rejected interest in leading the team, prompting reports that Gill is the front-runner for the position. Notably, on May 7, regular captain Rohit Sharma declared his intention to retire from the lengthier format. Reports later on Saturday, May 10, verified that Virat Kohli had informed the BCCI of his desire to retire from Test cricket.
When Rohit and Kohli last played, India lost to Australia 1-3 in a five-match Test series in the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
On X, Michael Vaughan posted on Sunday, May 11:
“If I was India I would give the captaincy to Virat for the Test series in England .. Shubman Gill can be his VC for the tour ..”
If I was India I would give the captaincy to Virat for the Test series in England .. Shubman Gill can be his VC for the tour .. #India 👍
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 11, 2025During India’s 2020–21 trip of South Africa, Virat Kohli notably relinquished his position as Test captain. With 40 victories in 68 games, including 11 draws, the 36-year-old is still India’s most successful Test skipper.
According to reports, the selectors turned down Kohli’s request to rejoin India as Test captain prior to the 2025–2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
“I think he should go to England” – Mohammad Kaif wants Virat Kohli to overcome technical flaw in his batting during England tour
In order to finish his career on a high note, Virat Kohli has been challenged by former India batsman Mohammad Kaif to get over his technical weakness of struggling against deliveries outside off stump. According to Hindustan Times, the cricket player-turned-commentator stated on X:
“Virat Kohli, India’s Babbar Sher wants to relax. He is thinking about retirement. I think he should go to England, prove his point and end his career on a high note. Because of the work he did in the T20 World Cup, he should end his career on a good note. Is he thinking about retirement out of helplessness? Because there is one kind of delivery that has been troubling him for many years. The ball bowled outside the off stump.”
Mohammad Kaif
“When the ball was bowled in the fourth-stump channel, he got out many times. It was such a trouble that he couldn’t get over it. In his career, he went to England and got out there. In Australia, he got out here. At home, against New Zealand, he got out to spin. He tried a lot.”
Mohammad Kaif
During the 2024–25 BGT, Kohli was caught behind by the wicketkeeper and in the slip cordon after getting out when prodding outside the off stump channel.
