'Is it too late to call Virat Kohli out of retirement?' Shashi Tharoor's request to BCCI as India risk losing to England

Shashi Tharoor is echoing the thoughts of a million Indian cricket fans right now. As India stare at another series defeat in England – their third since 2007 – the Congress MP has urged Virat Kohli to come out of retirement. Tharoor confessed that he has missed Kohli's presence throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but more so in the Oval Test, seeing India fail to break what could turn out to be a match-winning partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook. Shashi Tharoor, right, has a request for Virat Kohli(AFP Images)

England were reduced to 106/3, with 268 more to get, when Root and Brook stitched together a century partnership, with both batters completing their respective centuries. Tharoor made a heartfelt plea, perhaps to the BCCI, asking whether there's still a possibility to make Kohli change his mind.

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"I’ve been missing Virat Kohli a few times during this series, but never as much as in this Test match. His grit and intensity, his inspirational presence in the field, not to mention his abundant batting skills, might have led to a different outcome. Is it too late to call him out of retirement? Virat, the nation needs you," Tharoor tweeted.

Virat Kohli's Test retirement

Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, just days after reports emerged that he had made up his mind to bid adieu to the format he so dearly loved. While Kohli has yet to offer a proper explanation, barring his Instagram post that broke a gazillion hearts, he continues to hold Test cricket in the highest regard. After RCB won the IPL, he placed Test cricket five levels above and just last month, said, "you know it’s time when you have to dye your beard every four days."

Unlike Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from the format five days before Virat, and who made an appearance at The Oval on Saturday, Kohli has stayed away from this series. Besides his appearance at Wimbledon and then an event hosted by Yuvraj Singh in London, Kohli has stayed away from the public eye. Only time will tell if Kohli listens to what Tharoor has to say, but given the 36-year-old's track record, his decision will remain unchanged.

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