Virat Kohli, one of the biggest brand ambassadors of Indian cricket in modern times, has been in magnificent form since returning to international cricket last year, post his retirement from the oldest format of the game.
This article talks about the possibility of Virat Kohli’s potential return to Test cricket, a format that is close to his heart.
Virat Kohli’s Test comeback: A Reality or Far-Fetched Optimism?
The Decision
Everyone was taken by surprise when Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, as there were no signs of him making any such announcement in the near future, but he, along with Rohit Sharma, decided to bid goodbye to this particular format before the five-match series against England.
What followed was a wait of a little over three months to see Kohli back in action when he came out to bat in the first ODI against Australia.
The Form
Although Kohli’s return was marked by back-to-back ducks against the Aussies, the former Indian captain made up for it in the final match by scoring an attacking half-century and hasn’t looked back since then.
Virat started the ongoing home season with consecutive centuries against South Africa, which was backed by an unbeaten half-century to earn him another player of the series award.
More than the runs, it was the way in which Kohli scored them that made the fans roll back the clock to 2016, when he was at the top of his game and was scoring runs for fun in all three formats of the game.
The Speculation
The right-hander’s match-winning performances against South Africa have also sparked speculation of him making a return to Test cricket, given the state in which the Indian Test team finds itself, with series losses against New Zealand and South Africa at home
It won’t be a bad decision if Kohli decides to make himself available at least for the current World Test Championship cycle, with India set to tour New Zealand later this year.
The Challenge
The Shubman Gill-led side will have its task cut out in a country where India hasn’t won a Test series after 2009, and will need experienced players to rely on. Virat Kohli is someone who can make things easy for a bunch of young players that India has.
Let alone New Zealand, the Test series against Australia won’t be an easy assignment either, as it will involve trial by spin, and given India’s recent record against spin, the fans have every reason to vouch for Kohli to be at the helm of affairs in Sri Lanka.
The Possibility
Having said that, if we look at the history of Indian cricket, anything of this sort hasn’t happened in the country, at least at the highest level, and going by the approach of the selectors and the coach, the possibility of Kohli’s Test return looks bleak.
However, it won’t surprise many if the people at the top decide otherwise, and Kohli is called upon to get things corrected as far as Indian Test cricket is concerned.
