What are chances of India winning England series if Virat Kohli retires?

The Indian cricket team suffered a huge setback ahead of their five-match Test series in England starting next month, when the now former Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma announced that he is retiring from the longest format of cricket with immediate effect. Now, when it seems like things cannot get more difficult for India, fresh media reports on Saturday morning suggested that another star Indian player is planning to call curtains on his Test career before the English tour—and he is none other than one of the most prolific cricketers the game has ever seen: Virat Kohli. According to media sources, Kohli has informed the BCCI about his decision, but nothing has been made official as of yet.

 

 

Now, the most important question that stands after Kohli’s retirement rumours is: can Team India hold their own against the English team in the absence of a player like Kohli? Take a look. 

 

Kohli’s Test records in England 

If we are to talk about how Kohli’s absence can impact the Indian team in England, we first have to talk about his numbers in the English nation in red-ball cricket. Kohli has played a total of 17 Test matches in England, including two WTC finals, in which he has amassed 1,096 runs at an average of 33.21, with the help of five half-centuries and two centuries.

 

Now, talking more about Kohli’s numbers vs the home team England—he has toured the English country for a bilateral series thrice in his career. His first tour was in 2014, which, till date, has been considered one of the worst outings the star batter has ever had. In that series, Kohli played five matches and scored only 134 runs at a mere average of 13.4.

 

However, we saw an entirely different Kohli when he came back in 2018 as the skipper of the team. This time, in five matches, he scored 593 runs at an average of 59.3. He also scored three half-centuries and two centuries in the series.

 

But once again, we saw Kohli struggling in English conditions when he visited England in 2021. This time, he scored 249 runs in five matches at an average of just 27.67. Now, if we combine this with Kohli’s recent run with the bat in red-ball cricket, fans might say that Kohli’s absence will not make much difference. But Kohli’s overall stats—and his performances when India is struggling—suggest otherwise.

 

Kohli to the rescue 

Let’s talk about India’s recent tours outside the country. When India visited South Africa in 2023–24, Kohli scored 172 runs in four innings at an average of 43. Now, while it doesn't look like much, all his runs came when India had lost quick wickets and were struggling to hold on in the match. As a result, India drew the series 1–1. Also, when India beat Australia in the Down Under series back in 2019, Kohli was again one of the biggest reasons behind India’s win—both with the bat and as a leader. Losing him ahead of the England series will leave a huge dent in the team's combination and confidence.

 

Baseball, swing, and Kohli’s outside-off nightmare 

India usually visited England in July or August after the English season had already begun. But this time, they will be visiting in June—starting the season themselves. England pitches are notoriously famous for swing and bounce, something the hosts use very well while bowling and batting in the form of Bazball cricket. India has their answer to Bazball, as their young guns like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant are not afraid to go into full-on counterattack mode. But it is also a double-edged sword—as if the ball swings a little too much, which is expected in England in June, they can lose their wickets just as easily. Where Kohli's role becomes even more important is in holding the batting order together.

 

However, let’s take a walk down memory lane. Remember when Kohli struggled to get going against England back in 2014? He was losing his wicket to outside-off deliveries. Now, fast forward to 2025—Kohli has become an absolute legend of the game. But his outside-off issue in Test cricket still persists, and England knows this very well. They will use it to their advantage on English wickets, which means even if Kohli is available for the series, his success with the bat is not guaranteed.

 

Numbers can lie, class doesn’t 

While the numbers might be stacked against Kohli, time after time he has proved that when he has his day, he is unstoppable—regardless of the bowling line-up, pitch conditions, or scorecard pressure. Kohli is just Kohli. So if the Indian batting virtuoso decides to hang up his white jersey before the English tour, even if India survives the series, his presence will be missed by the Indian team, fans—and even the opposition.