“Come Back, King!” – Shashi Tharoor Begs Virat Kohli to Return After India Collapse at The Oval

In the middle of India’s ongoing Test battle against England, an unexpected but emotional call for help has emerged, from none other than Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

As Joe Root and Harry Brook stitched together a game-changing partnership during the fifth Test at The Oval, Tharoor echoed the feelings of millions of fans across the country, urging Virat Kohli to come out of retirement.

England were struggling at 106/3 while chasing a massive 374-run target when Root and Brook turned the tide with back-to-back centuries.

India looked helpless, especially in the field, and that’s when Tharoor took to social media to express how much the team was missing Kohli’s presence, his intensity, leadership, and hunger to win.

“I’ve been missing Virat Kohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you,” Tharoor tweeted.

I’ve been missing @imVkohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 3, 2025

Kohli’s Sudden Test Exit Still Hurts Fans

Virat Kohli shocked the cricket world when he announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025. The decision came just days after reports suggested that he had already made up his mind to step away from the longest format.

While Kohli didn’t give an official press conference, his emotional Instagram post hinted that the time had come for him to move on.

Even though he led RCB to an IPL title afterward, Kohli hasn’t been seen anywhere near the Test side.

Unlike Rohit Sharma, who retired from Tests just before him and was recently spotted at The Oval, Kohli has remained mostly out of the public eye during the England series, except for a Wimbledon appearance and a private event hosted by Yuvraj Singh.