The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be decided on the final day of the fifth Test at London’s Oval. Despite having four wickets remaining, England needs to win by 35 runs. Currently, the hosts are ahead of Shubman Gill’s India 2-1 in the series.
Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor stated that he could not help but miss former India captain Virat Kohli, even though the Indian team has played a lot of hard-fought Test cricket in England over the past few weeks, as exemplified by Rishabh Pant batting with a broken toe when India needed him to bat in the previous Test.
“I’ve been missing Virat Kohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you!” Tharoor wrote on X.
I’ve been missing @imVkohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 3, 2025
In May of this year, Virat Kohli declared his intention to retire from the Test format. The 36-year-old Kohli played 123 Test matches over 14 years during his red-ball career. On June 20, 2011, at Kingston, the Delhi batsman made his Test debut against the West Indies.
“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. As I step away from this format, it’s not easy, but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” Kohli had added.
Kohli ended the post with “#269, signing off
