It Was Time For Him: Ajit Agarkar Opens Up On Virat Kohli's Retirement

India announced their squad for the upcoming Test series against England, with Shubman Gill named the team's Test captain, while Rishabh Pant will be his deputy. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar made the announcement earlier today (May 24) in Mumbai.

While announcing the squad, Agarkar opened up about Virat Kohli's retirement, which would leave a void in the Indian middle-order. Kohli, India's most successful Test captain, retired from the format earlier this month.

"When guys like that retire, it's always going to be big holes to fill. Even Ashwin retired a few months back. All those guys are stalwarts of Indian cricket. It’s always difficult. One way to look at it is that it's an opportunity for someone else. Obviously, I've had conversations with both of them over the last couple of months. Virat obviously reached out in early April and said he wants to finish," Agarkar, during the BCCI press conference.

"We’ve seen him want to give 200 percent every ball that plays… even when he's not batting and in the field. He had given everything that he had and if he can’t keep up to the standards that he’s set for himself over the years and how good he has been, maybe it was time for him."

The upcoming England Tests will mark the first instance of Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin not being part of the squad. India have named some new faces like Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh and Abhimanyu Easwaran in the squad.

Agarkar insists that the trio's retirement gives an opportunity to someone else to put their hands up and deliver.

"It's tough for him; you've got to respect that. They have earned that respect, both of them, and the one thing with great players is that they are true to themselves. When you've got a guy who's played 123 Test matches, you will obviously miss them. It's tough to fill that spot, but it’s an opportunity for someone else. He has shown what needs to be done to succeed at this level," Agarkar added.

"Needless to say, even Rohit… he has been a leader over the year. A couple of years since he started leading in Test matches. It's a new cycle and an opportunity for us to build something new. But there is no doubt. You’ve got to show them respect instead of speculating too many things. Like I said, their performances over the years – the amount of games they have won for India – it's someone else's chance now. There's no doubt. All three of them."

India begin their new era in Test cricket on June 20 when they play their first Test of the five-match series against England at Headingley.