Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Test retirement is no reason to ‘panic’: ‘What happened after Fab Four,’ Manjrekar explains

As Indian cricket prepares for life after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the longest format, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has advised fans not to panic, drawing parallels with India’s last major transition phase following the retirement of the iconic ‘Fab Four’. Within a week, India lost two of its most celebrated modern-day batters, with Rohit being the first to call time on his Test career. Kohli’s decision came just days after Rohit stepped away, leaving a massive leadership and experience void ahead of the five-match Test series in England next month. India's Virat Kohli talks with his captain Rohit Sharma (R) during India's home series against New Zealand in 2024(AFP)

However, Manjrekar remains optimistic. In a video shared on Instagram, the former Indian cricketer pointed out how Indian cricket had weathered similar storms in the past.

“I know there'll be a few fans concerned. There was a sense of panic when the Fab Four quit all at the same time, but guess what? A couple of years later, India was the number one Test team in the world,” he said.

India boasted of a top-notch batting arsenal with the quartet of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly – fondly called India's ‘Fab Four’ – playing together at the peak of their powers. While Ganguly was the first to retire in 2008, Dravid and Laxman retired within days of each other four years later. Tendulkar finally called time on his career in 2013, ending an era of batting dominance in Indian cricket.

However, India recovered well despite losing its Test batting greats, and the side reached the top of the ICC rankings under Kohli's captaincy.

According to Manjrekar, that rise was driven by the country's vast reservoir of talent, something he believes continues to give India an edge.

"So, as long as I believe in this very strongly, as long as the sport is popular in India and there are enough young players, youth, desperate to play for India, and there are thousands in India, which means anybody who sort of comes through that kind of a grind has to be quality talent," he added.

Rise of India's bowling unit

Manjrekar also recalled how the exit of the Fab Four coincided with the emergence of a stronger bowling unit.

"It will take a bit of time, but let's not panic. Remember what happened after ‘Fab Four’, the Indian bowling quality improved. The same could happen here as well. You'll discover new stars and new bowlers, and India will continue to be one of the top teams in the world," said Manjrekar.

With Ravichandran Ashwin also having stepped away last year, India’s squad for the England tour will be missing three pillars of its Test core. This will be the first time in more than a decade when an Indian Test squad will feature none of the three stalwarts.

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