ENG vs IND 2025: 'The nation needs you' - Shashi Tharoor rues Virat Kohli's absence in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy

Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter/X)

The legendary Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the longest format on May 12, shocking his billions of fans around the globe. He wasn't having a great time in Test cricket but nobody envisioned that he would retire from his favourite format at the age of just 36.

Shubman Gill has taken Kohli's No. 4 spot in the batting order and done a spectacular job, as he is set to finish as the highest run-scorer in the five-match series. The 25-year-old amassed 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40. However, the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair have failed to live up to their potential.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor mentioned that he is missing Kohli in the five-match Test series, especially in the ongoing fifth and final encounter at The Oval in London. Most of the Indian batters have not been able to convert their starts into big scores on the tricky surface. Tharoor believes that Kohli could have made a difference had he been out in the middle.

“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 of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you! #INDvsENG,” Tharoor wrote in a post on his official 'X' (formerly Twitter) account.

Check out the tweet below:

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

India need four wickets to win on the final day of the fifth Test, while England are after 35 more runs. The series is intriguingly poised at 1-2 in favour of the Three Lions.