As India gears up for the first Test against England at Headingley, senior batter KL Rahul has shared his thoughts on a dressing room without two of India’s most iconic cricketers — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. With both players missing from the squad, Rahul admitted, “No Virat, no Rohit — it feels strange.”
This England tour marks a significant transition period for Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma has stepped away from the Test format, while Virat Kohli is recovering from a personal emergency that kept him out of the last few international fixtures. The leadership baton has been handed to Shubman Gill, who will captain the side for the five-match series.
Rahul, one of the more experienced players in the current squad, acknowledged the generational shift happening within the team. “We’ve played a decade of cricket with them. We’re used to seeing them in the dressing room. It’ll take some getting used to, but it’s also exciting — it’s a new era,” he said in a press conference.
The squad now features a blend of young talent and returning faces. Notably, Karun Nair has earned a recall, and the team is banking on youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Mukesh Kumar to step up on the English tour.
India’s last Test series in England ended in a 2-2 draw in 2022, and this time, they hope to script history with a rare overseas Test series win — without two of their biggest modern legends.
The first Test begins June 20 at Headingley.
