New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Former England batter Geoffrey Boycott believes that more than Rohit Sharma’s retirement, Virat Kohli’s absence is a devastating blow to India ahead of the starting five-match Test series in Leeds, saying that the right-handed batter was their key player.

Both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from Test cricket in May, leaving India with a big void to fill in the longer format at opening and number four positions respectively. Kohli, 36, scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests and was at fourth place in India’s all-time list of run-scorers in the longer format.

“The retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hurts the chances of India beating England. Kohli is the biggest loss as he has been their best batsman and talisman in all three formats. With so much international cricket played by India, and so little rest, it takes its toll and the mind becomes fatigued.

“It does not matter how much talent or experience you have, if you are not mentally fresh and up for the challenge then it becomes draining. Rohit was a superb batsman. At his best, a beautiful stroke player, but he won’t be missed as much as Kohli because his Test record was good rather than exceptional. In the last couple of years his batting was a little inconsistent, which was not surprising in his late 30s.

“Rohit was never a natural athlete like Kohli and he knows that opening the innings in England can be pretty tough because the new ball moves around more. You really have to be up for the challenge to have any chance of success. I just think that over time the wear and tear of opening the innings and being captain in all three formats wore him down,” wrote Boycott in his column for The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

England come into the all-important series against India on the back of defeating Zimbabwe in the one-off Test at Trent Bridge last month. Boycott has urged the Ben Stokes-led side to temper their Bazball style of batting to beat India, as well as use some common sense.

“England should beat India if they temper Bazball and use some common sense. At times their cricket has been thrilling and super enjoyable but also reckless batting has lost them Test matches.

“Their only thought should be winning because it is no use telling us how good you are when the last three World Test Championship finals have been played in our country but England have not qualified for any of them. They should be embarrassed. Their aim should be to make the next WTC final.

“The new cycle starts now and somebody needs to get through to the England players that being a winner is better than being known as an entertainer. If you can win and entertain, that is a bonus. At the moment England are like a one-trick-pony.

“It’s Bazball or Bazball and that is the way we play; take it or leave it. They don’t want to change or learn from their losses. It doesn’t seem to make any difference that so many top class ex-England Test players keep telling them to moderate their batting. So please, get your act together, bring your best game and apply some cricket nous,” he concluded.

–IANS

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