Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
Kevin Pietersen reacting to rumours of Kohli and Rohit returning from Test retirement.

Overview:

He stressed that having the two senior players involved is crucial to keeping Test cricket strong and relevant in India.

Kevin Pietersen has reacted to the chatter around Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli potentially being asked to come out of retirement from Test cricket. India’s 0-2 defeat to South Africa at home has sparked talk that the BCCI could approach the senior duo to reconsider their decision.

As the speculation continued to grow, Kevin Pietersen weighed in, urging the BCCI to treat the idea with genuine seriousness. He stressed that having the two senior players involved is crucial to keeping Test cricket strong and relevant in India.

“I don’t always believe what I read in the media or on social media. But, if it’s half true that both Virat and Rohit are considering playing Test cricket again, then it needs to be taken very very seriously. The survival of Test cricket is a hot topic of conversation and if the biggest stars in the game are wanting to play it again, they must play!,” Kevin posted on his X account.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia shut down the speculation, confirming that no talks of this nature have occurred with either player. Rohit and Kohli stepped away from Test cricket in May, just before the England tour. Their final red-ball assignment came in Australia, where India went down 1-3 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India’s poor run in the longest format has fuelled fresh debate among fans about whether the senior duo should return. The side has endured back-to-back Test series defeats for the first time since 1984–85, suffering a 0–3 whitewash in New Zealand in late 2024 and now a 0–2 loss to South Africa.

V M Suriya Narayanan is a passionate cricket writer who has been following the game since 2007. With a background in Civil Engineering (B.E.), he blends analytical thinking with a deep understanding of...