Team India’s Test Squad – At a Critical Crossroads

An Indian cricket team without any star players — that’s something we’ve rarely seen. For decades, Indian cricket has never had a shortage of stars. And these weren’t just stars for India; they were global cricketing icons. From Sachin Tendulkar to MS Dhoni to Virat Kohli, India has always had players whose fame went beyond the field. Even Rohit Sharma, with his incredible innings, carved out his own space among the greats.

Over the years, the Indian playing XI always included veterans — players with vast experience, leaders who had left their unique mark on the game. While transitional phases naturally followed the retirements of big names, there was never a vacuum — there were always seasoned players ready to step up.

Take the last two decades for example: When legends like Ganguly, Laxman, Dravid, and Kumble retired, there were immediate successors. Ganguly had Dravid, Dravid had Dhoni, and Kumble passed the baton to Dhoni after a brief stint as Test captain. Even as Dravid and Kumble exited, Sachin was still there, with experienced hands like Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan also part of the team. Dhoni established himself firmly during this time.

By the time Sachin retired, Dhoni had become a towering figure in Indian cricket. The void left by Sachin wasn’t deeply felt because new young talent had emerged. From that pool, Virat Kohli rose — and quickly built a reputation as a player who could challenge even Sachin’s stature. Both Dhoni and Kohli became icons in their own right. Add to that Rohit Sharma, whose phenomenal knocks cemented his place as a superstar. Just before Dhoni’s retirement, Rohit had already risen in stature, and he eventually took over the captaincy after Kohli stepped down, establishing himself as a successful leader.

However, over the past couple of years, both Kohli and Rohit have struggled with form, leading to discussions about their future in the team. Eventually, both announced their retirement from Test cricket. And now, we’re truly witnessing a star-less Indian Test team. This isn’t just about missing big names — we’re in the middle of a real transition phase. In fact, this might be the weakest Indian Test side in years.

India's whitewash defeat against New Zealand at home was a stark warning. In four decades, New Zealand had won only one Test in India — but they swept India 3-0. Then came the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where despite winning the first Test by a stroke of luck, India couldn’t dominate even a few sessions in the next three games. A team that had won two back-to-back Test series in Australia was completely outplayed last year.

Now, the team heads to England — armed with recent IPL experiences. But any cricket fan will tell you: there’s a massive difference between IPL and playing Test matches in England. Smashing bowlers in a T20 game is nowhere close to surviving a session on a seaming English pitch.

Without Rohit and Kohli, and with no senior batters like Pujara or Rahane — who were known for their patience in Tests — India’s batting looks shaky. The current lineup consists of players like Gill, Pant, and Jaiswal — all talented, capable of playing in tough conditions. But they lack the experience and the gravitas that come with being Test specialists. They’ve performed when others anchored the innings — now, they are expected to be the anchors. That’s a huge ask.

Among batters, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja are now the most experienced. But the bowling department is even weaker than the batting. Aside from Bumrah, only Siraj can be called somewhat dependable. India is clearly struggling to produce reliable seamers. Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna don’t inspire much confidence. Arshdeep Singh, once labeled a T20 specialist, is now being drafted into the Test side. With Ashwin retired, Jadeja is the lone pillar in the spin department. Kuldeep Yadav remains an uncertain option, and Washington Sundar, despite chances, hasn't shown consistency.

Overall, this team features youngsters who lit up the IPL, earned crores, and became mini-celebrities — but who have little to no first-class or domestic experience showcasing real Test temperament. None have come through the grind of Ranji Trophy, none have proven themselves over long four-day games in tough conditions.

Can they shoulder the burden of Test cricket now? That’s the biggest question.

And with this England tour, a new era begins for Team India in Test cricket. Only time will tell how this team shapes up — and what India’s Test record will look like in the coming years.