Former England captain Michael Atherton has shared his heartfelt admiration for Virat Kohli and expressed sympathy for whoever will step in to fill the crucial No.4 batting role in India’s Test team following Kohli’s retirement from red-ball cricket. With Kohli stepping away from Tests and following in the footsteps of Rohit Sharma’s recent retirement, India finds itself without a confirmed No.4 batter in the format for the first time in three decades.
Kohli’s retirement marks the end of a legendary era that began with Sachin Tendulkar and was carried forward by the Delhi-born maestro. The No.4 slot, historically occupied by these two stalwarts, is now a major talking point ahead of India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England. With a combined legacy of over 25000 Test runs and 81 centuries, the challenge for the successor is monumental.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Atherton remarked, “This feels like the beginning of a new phase for India in the World Test Championship cycle. It’s uncertain who will take over the No.4 role, and I truly feel for whoever it is because they’ve got the weight of Tendulkar and Kohli’s legacy to carry.”
He further added how captivating Kohli was during his 123-Test career. “You simply couldn’t take your eyes off him. He played every match with passion and intensity. His retirement message touched on the trials of Test cricket, which he seemed to thrive in. I loved watching every innings he played,” Atherton noted.
Virat Kohli recently made his decision public via an Instagram post, bringing down the curtain on a phenomenal Test career. He amassed 9230 runs at an impressive average of 46.85, which included 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, securing his place as India’s fourth-highest run scorer in the format.
Now, all eyes are on who will inherit that iconic No.4 slot. The frontrunners include Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, both of whom have demonstrated the ability to bat in different positions. Gill has been playing at No.3 since Cheteshwar Pujara’s phase-out, while Rahul has been India’s go-to man across various positions in recent years.
Selectors may also consider newer talents such as Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, or Karun Nair. Iyer has struggled against short-pitched bowling, Sarfaraz has an excellent domestic record but is yet to be tested abroad, and Nair, who once scored a triple century for India, has been out of the national setup for nearly a decade.
As India prepares to reshape its Test side for the future, the debate over who will rise to the occasion at No.4 continues to be one of the most anticipated developments in Indian cricket.
