Michael Vaughan opined that India will miss Kohli’s energy in the dressing room more than his batting, as he averaged just 33 in Tests in England.
India’s Test series in England, starting Friday in Leeds, opens a new chapter for the team. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the format and R Ashwin also stepping away, the team enters transition phase. Shubman Gill takes over as captain, with Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, leading a side full of fresh faces.
However, it is Kohli’s absence that has started most debate. While his impact as a leader and motivator is clear, his Test record in England tells a different story, amassing just 1,096 runs in 17 matches at an average of 33.21.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has shared his inputs on this conversation. He believes Kohli’s presence in the dressing room is be a bigger loss than his runs.
“Kohli is a legend and a culture creator around this Indian team, and what he brought as a captain to the team is still there in terms of the energy and the drive and the aggression,” Vaughan said on Fox Sports.
“But he only averaged 33 here in the UK. You don’t massively miss someone that averages 33, but you miss someone that brings so much to the dressing room,” he added.
Michael Vaughan then backed the young Indian players to rise to the challenge in English conditions.
“These players that are going to come in and play for India, they’re seriously good players. Maybe this new generation has been waiting. Maybe they’ve been waiting for this moment. Don’t be surprised that they play really well,” he concluded.
India Off to Steady Start in Leeds
Meanwhile, India has begun their first Test with a solid start, reaching 32 for no loss after 11 overs at the time of writing. Earlier, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl first under overcast conditions. Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are handling the new ball well to give India early control.
India handed a debut to Sai Sudharsan, while Karun Nair returned to the Test team after eight years.
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Last Updated on June 20, 2025
Senior Sports Copywriter
