India vs England: Boycott Declares Kohli’s Absence a Bigger Blow, Warns England to Rethink Bazball
As the cricketing world braces for the much-anticipated five-Test series between India and England, set to commence on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, former England batting legend Geoffrey Boycott has delivered a scathing yet insightful analysis. With India missing two of their biggest stars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Boycott believes Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket is a far greater setback for the visitors than Sharma’s departure.
In his hard-hitting column for The Daily Telegraph, Boycott didn’t mince words. ‘The retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma significantly dents India’s chances of overcoming England. But Kohli is the irreplaceable one—he’s been their best batsman and a talisman across all formats,’ he wrote. While acknowledging Rohit’s contributions as an opener and leader, Boycott was candid about the former captain’s dip in Test form over the past two years. ‘Rohit was never the natural athlete that Kohli is. The grind of opening the batting and captaining in all formats has visibly worn him down. He won’t be missed as much as Kohli,’ he added.
The dual retirement of these modern-day greats, announced in May, leaves India with gaping holes in their batting lineup. Kohli’s absence at No. 4—where he amassed 8,848 Test runs at an average of 49.15, including 28 centuries—feels like a mortal blow. Rohit, with 4,137 runs in Tests, often struggled for consistency outside India, particularly on pace-friendly English tracks. India now faces the daunting task of rebuilding their top order during a transitional phase, with young talents like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal expected to step up.
Shifting his focus to the hosts, Boycott issued a stern warning to Ben Stokes and his men, who are riding high after a recent Test victory over Zimbabwe. He criticized England’s much-hyped Bazball philosophy—an ultra-aggressive approach under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum—calling it a double-edged sword. ‘England should beat this Indian side in transition, but only if they temper Bazball and inject some common sense into their game,’ Boycott argued. ‘It’s no use boasting about how good you are when you’ve failed to reach a single World Test Championship final on home soil. Frankly, they should be embarrassed.’
Boycott didn’t hold back in labeling England a ‘one-trick pony‘ for their reliance on relentless aggression, often at the expense of pragmatism. ‘Being a winner matters more than being an entertainer. England must bring their best game and apply some cricket nous if they want to dominate India over five Tests,’ he urged. With England’s historical struggles in sustaining consistency—evident in their mixed results since adopting Bazball, winning 13 of 22 Tests but losing key series—Boycott’s words ring with urgency.
As the series looms, the clash promises to be a fascinating battle between an Indian side in flux and an English team eager to prove their mettle. Will England heed Boycott’s advice and balance aggression with caution? Can India’s next generation rise to the occasion without their iconic leaders? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain—cricket fans are in for a gripping contest at Headingley and beyond.