3 Players who can replace Virat Kohli in Tests

Rohit Sharma recently announced his retirement from Tests, and the news has it that Virat, too, has made a call on hanging his boots in the format now. Although the BCCI has asked him to review his decision, the selectors are looking to make a team for the upcoming England tour. Here are three players who can replace Virat in the team.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer, India's middle-order batsman in One-Day Internationals, is one of the players who can bat at number four because the right-hander is technically sound and has played in England. In his maiden match against New Zealand in 2021, Shreyas scored a century, giving him a respectable record in test cricket.

Apart from that, after returning to the Indian setup in 2025, Iyer has been in outstanding form. His recent red-ball cricket success could earn him a recall even though he hasn't played for the Test team since January 2024. In the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, he scored 480 runs for Mumbai at 68.57.

Nitish Kumar Reddy

On the 2024–25 Australia tour, which was his first Test assignment, Nitish Kumar Reddy, another talented player, demonstrated his abilities under pressure. In nine Test innings, he amassed 298 runs, including a century, at an average of 37.25.

Even though he batted lower in the order in Australia, if Kohli decides not to play Test cricket any longer, he might get upgraded. The 21-year-old's medium-pace bowling can also occasionally be helpful. However, his poor IPL performance thus far may work against him being selected, although the team would be looking for pace-bowling all-rounders.

Karun Nair

After his game-winning efforts in the 2024–25 domestic season, Karun Nair, who amassed a ton of runs, has been on the selectors' radar and is anticipated to be the front-runner to succeed Kohli. Nevertheless, Nair only scored one half-century in his comeback match against MI and was unable to capitalise on the opportunities he had during the now-suspended IPL.

Under Virat Kohli's leadership, the right-hander, one of just two Indian players to reach a triple century, was included in the team for the 2018 tour of England. He last played for India in 2017.

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