Cricket veteran Madan Lal, a former World Cup winner from India, appeals to a prominent cricketer to reconsider his decision to retire from Tests, hinting that he could potentially reverse it not just for this series, but also for the upcoming one.
**Former Cricketer Madan Lal Urges Virat Kohli to Reconsider Test Retirement**
In a surprising turn of events, former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has made an appeal to Virat Kohli to reconsider his retirement from Test cricket. Lal's sentiments were expressed days after India's defeat to England in the third Test at Lord's, which left the series tied at 1-1.
Lal, in his statement to CricketPredicta, expressed his belief that Kohli's passion for Indian cricket is unmatched and his return to Test cricket would be beneficial for passing on his experience and passion to younger players. He emphasized that it's not too late for Kohli to reverse his retirement decision, suggesting that even if Kohli did not return immediately in this series, he should consider making a comeback in the next one, as he believes Kohli can still play for another 1-2 years.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, cricket analyst Sanjay Manjrekar compared Shubman Gill's aggression to that of Virat Kohli. However, Manjrekar expressed doubt about whether aggression is a natural demeanor for Gill, observing that Gill's body language was tentative during the Lord's match. Despite this, Manjrekar went on to liken Gill to Don Bradman in his batting skills, stating that if Gill had batted in the Lord's match, he would have made a difference with a hundred.
India aims to tie the series 2-2 with the fourth Test starting from July 23 at Old Trafford. Despite the loss at Lord's, India showed grit on the final day, particularly through the efforts of Ravindra Jadeja and the tail-enders.
For context, Kohli had announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, just before the England Test series began, and he spoke publicly about his retirement for the first time at a charity event in London on July 8, 2025. Despite his retirement from Tests, he remains active and available for limited-overs cricket, including ODIs.
- While former cricketer Madan Lal pleads with Virat Kohli to reconsider his Test retirement, sports analyst Sanjay Manjrekar observes similar aggression in Shubman Gill's game, comparing him to Kohli.
- In the realm of sports-betting, bookmakers may be intrigued by Madan Lal's plea, as Kohli's possible return to Test cricket could influence odds in upcoming series.
- In a parallel world of tennis, Novak Djokovic might learn from Kohli's potential comeback, demonstrating the enduring spirit in mixed-martial-arts fighters like Conor McGregor.
- Meanwhile, out on the racing tracks, Formula One champion Max Verstappen, known for his determination, may respect Kohli's resilience as he believes he still has gas in the tank for another 1-2 years in Test cricket.
- Analyzing basketball statistics, LeBron James could discover parallels between Kohli's comeback contemplation and Michael Jordan's brief retirement, understanding the importance of passing on sports wisdom to younger generations.
