'11 players form a team, not one...': Akash Deep's blunt verdict on India missing Virat Kohli in playing XI

Retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli certainly left a big void in the Indian team that needed to be filled. Due to the sudden retirements of the two, the BCCI was left with no choice but to appoint a new captain and trust the youngsters to perform well in the five-match Test series against England.

India pulled off a series draw against England

Though many cricket experts had written off the young Indian team even before the commencement of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the Shubman Gill-led side ended up giving a fitting reply to all their doubters. They ended up drawing the series at 2-2 thanks to a thrilling 6-run victory in the fifth and final match.

Akash Deep, who was one of the best performers for India with the ball in the England Tests, shared his take on Kohli's retirement from Test cricket and pointed out that even though it impacted the side a lot, one player alone cannot form a team. He added that the next generation is already prepared to take over.

ALSO READ: Vaibhav Suryavanshi to undergo BCCI's specialized training program ahead of Australia A series: Report

“See, it’s a team. I feel one day – we may or may not be part of it, someone will be after us. The team’s atmosphere will continue to be the same. 11 guys form a team, not one. And everyone is important. He took the team to newer heights; everybody saw the transformation that happened (during Kohli’s time). Today, it’s Gill – his first series and the huge achievement. So everyone is doing well" Akash told Aaj Tak.

The likes of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj were among the star performers for the Men in Blue in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. All these players are expected to stay with the team for years to come which shows that the young side is ready to face big challenges and succeed even without Rohit and Kohli by their side.

ALSO READ: No Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma but Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 breaks record for most-watched Test series on any digital platform, peak recorded on final day

Meanwhile, India's next Test assignment will be a two-match home series against West Indies which will commence from October 2. With the Men in Blue currently sitting on the third place on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, they will be looking to make more gains on the standings with the upcoming series.