Virat Kohli's replacement finalised: 3 Indian domestic stars in line to replace Virat for first 2 Tests vs England

India will be hosting England in a five-match Test series starting from January 25. The Indian team has been announced for the first two Tests as Rohit Sharma is set to lead the side against Ben Stokes-led England in a grueling series.

Just three days ahead of the first Test, Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests citing personal reasons. He was included in the 16-member squad to face England in the first two Tests of the five-match series but now he will not be available.

India needs to announce a replacement for Virat Kohli soon as the Test series is set to begin on Thursday, January 25. Virat Kohli has been India’s greatest player across all formats for a long time and he had a chance to become the fourth Indian batter to score 9000 runs in Test cricket.

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He was just 152 runs away from joining the elite list of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar but now fans will have to wait for some time before they celebrate another Virat Kohli milestone.

Many players in the domestic circuit have impressed in recent times and they can be on Team India’s radar to replace Virat Kohli in the first two Tests.

However, some players stand out from the others in terms of performance in domestic cricket and can replace the batting maestro in the Test squad for the first two Tests against England in the five-match series.

Here Are Three Players Who Can Replace Virat Kohli In The First Two Tests Against England

1. Rajat Patidar:

Rajat Patidar has a terrific first-class record for Madhya Pradesh. The RCB batter has amassed 4000 runs in 93 innings at an average of 53.48 including 22 half-centuries and 12 centuries.

He has been one of the best middle-order batters in the domestic circuit and can be a perfect replacement for Virat Kohli in the first two Tests against England.

2. Sarfaraz Khan:

For someone banging on the doors of the Indian team for so long, it is the perfect time to give Sarfaraz Khan the coveted India cap and honor his prolific performance in first-class cricket.

He boasts a sensational record of 3751 runs in just 65 innings and has a stellar average of 68.20. Sarfaraz has smashed 13 centuries and 11 half-centuries in first-class cricket which includes a 301* as his highest individual score.

He can handle the responsibilities of the middle-order and can be a great find for the Indian team if he gets an opportunity against England

3. Cheteshwar Pujara:

After the World Test Championship Final defeat against Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara was ignored by the selectors for the Indian Test side but now with his performance in the ongoing domestic season for Saurashtra, he can be the perfect replacement for someone like Virat Kohli.

He has scored 444 runs in five innings in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season at an average of 111. He smashed a double-hundred against Jharkhand scoring 243 off 356 deliveries. He is one of the veterans for India in the red-ball format and he can be a valuable asset for the team in the absence of Kohli.