India’s batting meltdown in Guwahati has ignited a major debate, with former players questioning whether Virat Kohli’s decision to step away from Test cricket was a mistake. As the Indian team edges closer to another home series defeat—its second whitewash within a year—the poor batting display has resurfaced conversations about leadership, intent, and the void left by Kohli in the longest format.
India were dismissed for 201 in their first innings of the final Test against South Africa, falling far behind after the visitors surged to a commanding 489, powered by Senuran Muthusamy’s maiden Test century and a blistering 93 from Marco Jansen. Jansen followed his explosive knock with a ruthless 6 for 48, dismantling India’s batting order at the Barsapara Stadium.
After the collapse, former cricketer Sreevats Goswami shared a striking opinion on X, insisting that Kohli should have retired from ODIs instead of withdrawing from Test cricket. According to him, Test cricket still needed Kohli’s intensity, passion, and ability to instill belief in the team—qualities that now appear to be missing.
Goswami highlighted how Kohli’s leadership brought unmatched energy to the format, suggesting that the current side lacks the same fire and winning mentality. Kohli, who stunned fans earlier this year with his Test retirement shortly after Rohit Sharma’s exit, now plays only ODIs after stepping away from T20Is last year.
Despite his Test departure, Kohli showed promise recently with a half-century in Sydney and is expected to make a strong push to secure his ODI spot for the 2027 World Cup as India prepare for their upcoming limited-overs series against South Africa.
South Africa ended Day 3 at 26 for no loss, choosing not to enforce the follow-on despite a 288-run advantage. Having already won the Test in Kolkata, the visitors now look poised to seal a historic series win—only their second in India since 2000.
