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Anil Kumble highlights how retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Pujara and absence of Shubman Gill have unsettled India’s Test batting lineup.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir (right) speaks to Anil Kumble during 2nd Test between India and West Indies in Delhi. (PTI Photo)
Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble has said that the collective retirements of ace batter Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara, besides the omission of Ajinkya Rahane and the absence of skipper Shubman Gill, have unsettled the Indian Test team.
Kumble underscored the growing instability in India’s Test batting lineup, noting the sweeping changes in the top five over recent years. With stalwarts like Kohli, Rohit and Pujara retired, Rahane out of the picture and Gill absent from the XI, he stressed the need to rebuild stability and back the chosen batters.
Kohli and Rohit retired in May, Pujara in August and Rahane played his last Test in July 2023, while Gill was ruled out of the series due to a neck injury.
“The other aspect of also, you know, I want to bring this point about India’s batting. Over the last three or four years, you have seen four batters in the top five either retire or not be picked,” Kumble said while speaking on JioHotstar.
“You know, if it is, you know, Virat Kohli is retired, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, then you have, of course… Rahane. So four out of five, plus Shubman Gill isn’t in this lineup. Yes, India did miss Shubman, the captain, but also, more importantly, missed him as a batter,” Kumble added.
The former India cricketer, also a former India head coach, stressed that frequent changes to the batting order can unsettle cricketers and disrupt their rhythm.
“Yes, they will come good, they will be off days. It is just a matter of supporting them for a period of six, seven, or eight Tests. But if you look back at the last, what, 10-12 Tests, the batting orders at the top have been up and down,” Kumble said.
“There have been a lot of changes there, so that is, I am sure, a bit unsettling for the players too. So looking at all of that and the effort here, you know, you feel disappointed. You expected the effort to be better,” Kumble added.
November 24, 2025, 22:19 IST
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