A week ago, who would’ve known that right after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, when India would travel to England, they won’t have skipper Rohit Sharma? Previously, Rohit showed his desire to “do well” in England. But as things turned out, the Hitman hung up his boots and bid adieu to the red-ball format. Now, a few days later, another massive bombshell has been dropped, this time by Virat Kohli, who has told the BCCI that he doesn’t want to play Test cricket, too!
This has certainly dumbfounded the entire Indian cricketing fraternity. While the BCCI has asked Kohli to reconsider his request, let’s just assume that India doesn’t have Kohli for the next five-match Test series that kicks off the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle as well.
With Rohit Sharma out of the picture, Kohli wanting to retire, and Ravi Ashwin not an international player anymore, the landscape of the Indian Test team is about to change soon. On that note, let us look at a possible Indian squad for the five-match England Tests without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Sai Sudharsan a must now
The absence of Rohit and Kohli would leave a massive void in the Indian top order. Sai Sudharsan, considered a backup opener, could finally get a consistent run. Sudharsan has ticked every box this season. He amassed 304 runs at an average of 76 in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, including a marathon innings of 213 against Delhi.
Fascinatingly, Sudharsan has also been in blazing touch in IPL 2025 — racking up 509 runs in just 11 matches for Gujarat Titans (GT). With KL Rahul expected to return to the top of the order alongside Jaiswal, Sudharsan might be slotted at No. 3, a position he’s batted in during India A matches.
Shubman Gill, who has averaged over 37 at No. 3 in Tests since 2023, might shift to No. 4 to fill the Kohli-shaped void. That leaves the No. 5 position wide open, where both Shreyas Iyer and Karun Nair come into the conversation.
Shreyas Iyer or Karun Nair?
Karun Nair hasn’t played a Test since 2017, but his recent numbers in red-ball cricket suggest a return is overdue. In Ranji Trophy 2024/25, Nair scored 863 runs in 9 innings at an average of 53.15, including three centuries and two fifties. The year before, he scored 690 runs at 40.58. These aren’t one-off numbers—this is a batter who has found consistency again. Nair also topped the charts in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024 with 779 runs as he was in beast mode.
Despite a lukewarm IPL 2025, Nair’s red-ball record deserves serious attention. The selectors will also remember that his last big score in Tests—303*—came against England.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer’s return could coincide perfectly with Kohli’s absence. Iyer last played a Test in February 2024 but forced his way back into contention with a strong domestic season. After a disappointing Duleep Trophy, where he averaged just 25.66, Iyer turned things around in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 480 runs in 5 matches at 68.50, with two centuries.
His first-class record is impressive: 6,363 runs in 81 matches at 48.57, including 15 hundreds. If India are looking for a batter in form, Iyer is one of the few who fits the bill.
Shardul Thakur deserves a spot
India’s pace attack will likely be built around Jasprit Bumrah and likely Mohammed Shami, but workload management will be key. Bumrah took 32 wickets in 5 Tests during the BGT 2023/24, while Shami returns after a long injury layoff. In their absence, India will need depth. And that can be provided by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
In Ranji 2024/25, Shardul Thakur scored 505 runs and took 35 wickets—a genuine all-round performance. His 505 runs outshone basically most veterans. Thakur, in fact, scored more runs than the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Priyank Panchal and Delhi captain Ayush Badoni. In IPL 2025, he’s chipped in with 12 wickets from 9 matches, and in Tests, he has 30 wickets and three fifties in England alone. He has previously done well in the UK. A familiarity with English conditions and lower-order batting make him a better fit for the Test squad.
Team India squad for England Tests without Kohli, Rohit
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Prasidh Krishna/ Harshit Rana.Captaincy Candidates: Gill, Bumrah, Pant
England vs India Tests schedule
TestDateVenue1st Test20-24 Jun ’25Leeds2nd Test02-06 Jul ’25Birmingham3rd Test10-14 Jul ’25Lord’s4th Test23-27 Jul ’25Manchester5th Test31 Jul – 04 Aug ’25The OvalHow India’s squad for England Tests could look without Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma Inside Sport India.
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