As India gets ready to face England in a five-match Test series starting June 20 in Leeds, former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott has shared his views on the absence of two key Indian players — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
In his column, Boycott said that Kohli’s retirement is a bigger setback for India than Rohit’s. He called Kohli India’s “best batsman and talisman” across all formats of the game.
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While he praised Rohit Sharma, Boycott also said that Rohit won’t be missed as much as Kohli. He pointed out that Rohit has not been very consistent in Test matches over the past few years. According to Boycott, being an opener and captain in all formats took a toll on Rohit, who wasn’t as physically strong as Kohli.
Both Kohli and Rohit retired from Test cricket in May, leaving big gaps in India’s top batting order — especially at the opening slot and the crucial No. 4 position.
Speaking about the England team, Boycott advised Ben Stokes and his squad to play smart cricket. He said England’s aggressive playing style, known as “Bazball,” might not always work, especially against a rebuilding Indian team.
“England should beat India, but only if they play wisely and don’t rely solely on Bazball,” he wrote. Boycott also reminded England that they haven’t reached a single World Test Championship (WTC) final at home, and that they shouldn’t get overconfident.
He called England a “one-trick pony” and stressed that winning matches is more important than just entertaining the audience. His final message was clear: “Play your best cricket and use common sense.”
