“Cricket Is Poorer Without Them” – Joe Root Reflects on Kohli-Rohit Legacy Ahead of India-England Clash
Joe Root says he’ll miss facing Virat Kohli, calls cricket poorer without Kohli and Rohit; wary of Bumrah threat
Former England captain Joe Root has said that he will miss facing Virat Kohli on the field, now that Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from Test cricket. Root shared his thoughts in a chat with Sony Sports Network ahead of the upcoming India vs England Test series.
“I’ve never been in competition with Virat. He is someone I’ve always admired, and thought, ‘Wow, what a player’. I’ll miss those battles we had on the field, but it provides opportunities for other players to try and put their mark on Test cricket,” Root said.
Kohli and Rohit have been the face of Indian cricket in the longest format for more than a decade. Their exit marks the end of a golden phase in Indian Test cricket. Root believes their absence will be felt deeply.
“Cricket is poorer without them being around. They are two Indian legends. They’ve done amazing things for Indian cricket for such a long period of time. It’ll be a slightly different look to the series, but we still expect it to be highly competitive,” he said.
Still a Tough Challenge for England
While the Indian team will have a fresh look, Root said England are not taking anything lightly. He pointed out that India’s bowling, especially Jasprit Bumrah, remains a big threat.
“Every time he’s played, he’s had a huge impact. He is clearly going to be a big threat. We have to try and manage as best we can,” Root said. At the same time, he stressed that it’s not just about Bumrah. England will need a plan for the entire bowling attack.
Root Opposes Four-Day Test Proposal
Root also spoke against the idea of four-day Tests, which has been discussed by some boards and experts.
“I don’t really understand why you’d need to change it to four days. Coming from England where it rains a lot, you’re basically asking for more draws, which nobody wants. It doesn’t really make sense to me. If you look at some of the greatest Tests of all time, they go right down to the wire on day five,” Root explained.
Even without the big Indian names, the England batter is confident the series will be intense. Both teams will be hungry to prove themselves in this new chapter of Test cricket.
