NEW DELHI: As India embarked on a new chapter in their Test cricket journey under Shubman Gill at Headingley on Friday, the absence of Virat Kohli loomed large, both emotionally and in cricketing conversation. Former England captain Nasser Hussain paid a glowing tribute to Kohli, calling him one of the defining forces in modern-day Test cricket.
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India vs England, 1st Test Day 1During Sky Sports’ pre-match show ahead of the first Test of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, the anchor mentioned the desire to see Kohli one last time in England. Hussain responded with heartfelt admiration.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Test match cricket is so much better when Kohli was playing,” Hussain said. “We will move on - we moved on from Gavaskar to Tendulkar to Kohli and maybe now to Gill. But Kohli added so much to this game of cricket.”
Hussain recalled a powerful moment from the Lord’s Test in 2021, where Kohli fired up his players on the final morning.
“He was in the huddle pointing at every Indian player, telling them to unleash hell on that England batting lineup. And they did. That side became a mirror image of Kohli - the feistiness of Siraj, Bumrah, Shami... in-your-face cricket.”
India, without Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin, were put in to bat after England won the toss. Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut, while Karun Nair returned after eight years. Gill confirmed Sudharsan would bat at No. 3.
“Preparation has been amazing… Sai makes his debut, Karun comes in,” Gill said at the toss.
The match marks not just the start of a new series, but the symbolic beginning of India’s post-Kohli era.
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