'Is it too late to call him back?' Shashi Tharoor’s viral plea for Virat Kohli amid India’s test struggle

New Delhi: As India’s series-deciding Test against England at The Oval heads into a thrilling final day, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has stirred conversation by highlighting the absence of Virat Kohli and what his presence could have meant in precisely such a high-pressure scenario.

Taking to social media after the close of Day 4 with the match hanging in the balance, Tharoor wrote that he had missed Kohli throughout the series, “but never as much as in this Test match.” He suggested that the star batter’s signature grit, intensity, and leadership could have tilted the contest in India’s favour during a tense run chase by England.

Kohli, who announced his retirement from international test cricket, became the focal point of Tharoor’s tongue-in-cheek plea: “Is it too late to call him out of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you!” This soon went viral, capturing widespread fan sentiment given India’s challenges in clutch moments.

The catalyst for Tharoor’s commentary was a dramatic Test, which seesawed back and forth heading into its conclusion. At stumps on Day 4, India had posted 224 and 396, with Yashasvi Jaiswal starring with a century to set England a target of 374. England, after a precarious 106/3, surged ahead through Harry Brook (111) and Joe Root (105), whose 195-run stand has left the hosts just 35 runs short at 339/6. Importantly, rain and bad light forced early stumps, keeping all results open for the final day: England need 35 runs with four wickets left (effectively three, as Chris Woakes is injured), while India require one last burst of inspiration to level the series 2-2.

Despite captain Shubman Gill’s prolific run tally in his first series at the helm, over 700 runs, and consistent support from K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant, Tharoor’s remarks underline that Kohli’s experience, on-field fire, and batting prowess remain deeply missed by both fans and pundits.

With inputs from IANS