Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal asked Virat Kohli to reconsider his Test retirement just a day after the tight defeat to England in the third Test at Lord’s. India was in a strong position to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, but they were unable to seal the victory.
Kohli announced his retirement from red-ball cricket soon before the England tour, causing shockwaves throughout the cricketing community. Lal stated that there is nothing wrong with reconsidering the decision and asked the seasoned batter to share his expertise with the younger generation for the growth of Indian cricket in the near future. Lal also stated that no one was more passionate about the Indian squad than Virat Kohli.
“Virat Kohli’s enthusiasm for Indian cricket was unparalleled.
It is my dream that he will return to Test cricket after retirement. There is nothing wrong with returning. If not in this series, he should return in the next (match),” Madan Lal told, as reported by NDTV Sports.
“From my perspective, he should reverse his retirement. Because he can easily play for one or two years. It’s about you passing on your knowledge to the younger generation. You just left it. It isn’t too late. “Please return,” he added.
In the third Test at Lord’s, England took a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series with a hard-fought victory. Joe Root anchored their opening innings with a brilliant 104, leading England to 387. Jasprit Bumrah bowled brilliantly for India, taking five wickets.
India reacted brilliantly, matching England’s 387 with a calm and collected century from KL Rahul. However, England struggled in their second innings, scoring only 192 as Washington Sundar took four wickets. In an unusual occurrence, the Indian attack dismissed seven English hitters.
India struggled to chase down 193 on a worsening Day 5 pitch. Despite the difficult conditions, Ravindra Jadeja kept his ground with an undefeated 61 from 181 deliveries. He formed crucial partnerships with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, but the English bowlers eventually proved too good, bowling India out for just 170.
With this victory, England now has the upper hand heading into the fourth Test, which begins on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester. While England will seek to win the series, India will be hoping to produce a comeback and tie it at 2-2.
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