The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to be thinking about persuading some of the recently retired male players to come back and play for India in Test cricket.
Published: December 1, 2025 9:00 AM IST
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to be thinking about persuading some of the recently retired male players to come back and play for India in Test cricket.
Cricbuzz reports that there is talk of asking Virat Kohli to think again about retiring. The report also mentioned that another recently retired player might be willing to reconsider playing Test cricket. This news comes soon after India’s 2-0 home series win over South Africa. Head coach Gautam Gambhir said the results were due to a ‘transition’ phase, pointing to the team’s lack of experience.
Since Gambhir became coach last year, Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin have retired from Test cricket. Earlier, under Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were also dropped from the team.
India’s batting line-up is now one of the least experienced in international cricket, and pitches that favor spin have made it harder for players to grow. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket in May, partly due to their reduced role in the team, and they were also finding it tough to perform in the format, particularly in home conditions.
Pujara and Rahane were supported for many years even as their form dropped, but the team couldn’t find replacements who could handle spin and perform well in home conditions.
Meanwhile, Ashwin, one of India’s best spinners since Anil Kumble, retired in December 2024 after being left out of a Test match in Australia.
Ajit Agarkar, selectors meet in Ahmedabad
The report also said that chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar has been in Ahmedabad since November 26, watching Group D matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s national T20 tournament, at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The selectors are facing extra scrutiny following India’s Test losses.
Agarkar’s panel, along with coach Gautam Gambhir, has often been criticized for not paying enough attention to domestic cricket, relying too much on white-ball performances when choosing red-ball players, and preferring all-rounders over specialist players.
The report said it’s not clear if Agarkar’s current work at the domestic tournament is linked to any BCCI order after the Test defeats, but he has been regularly present at the stadium in recent days. Other selectors are also active: Pragyan Ojha will join the ODI team in South Africa, while SS Das, RP Singh, and Ajay Ratra are watching SMAT matches in their zones.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has also attracted several IPL scouts ahead of the December 16 auction. John Wright, Varun Aaron, Parthiv Patel, Kiran More, and Vijay Bharadwaj are among those keeping an eye on players in Ahmedabad.
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