The announcements in rapid succession from both incumbent captain Rohit Sharma and his predecessor, Virat Kohli, of their retirements from Test cricket have left the Indian cricket in a state of shock.

Truth be told, neither announcement comes as a complete surprise. Both Sharma and Kohli had poor runs in Australia, with India losing a series (3-1) they could have drawn or even won. That coming on the heels of the crushing 3-0 whitewash at home to the unheralded New Zealanders was a twin jolt to the Indian team and meant they were out of reckoning for this year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s, an event for which India qualified (and lost) on both the previous occasions,........

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