Shashi Tharoor has urged Virat Kohli to rethink his Test retirement after the senior Congress leader shared that he had been missing the former captain “never as much as” in the ongoing fifth Test against England. Kohli, who had a tough run in Australia last year, took a sudden Test retirement just before the England series along with Rohit Sharma.

In the absence of Kohli, the young Indian team in transition performed brilliantly in England in all the five matches, but Tharoor felt Kohli‘s grit, intensity and his presence in the field might had led to a different outcome. The fifth Test is poised to end in a thriller.

“I’ve been missing @imVkohli 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!” wrote Tharoor on X.

Kohli bid adieu to the longest format of the game with 9230 runs from 123 matches.

England need 35 runs, India require 4 wickets

Meanwhile, bad light interrupted play during the final session of the fourth day in the fifth Test on Sunday. England were 339/6 at the time interruption, needing 35 runs to win the final Test and the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. India, meanwhile, needed just three wickets to win the Test and square the series 2-2 as Chris Woakes has already been ruled out of the match due to injury.

However Woakes was seen dressed up with his hand in sling. Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton were batting at 2 and 0 respectively when the umpires checked the light meter and decided the halt the proceedings. Stumps have been called on Day 4 which means, the final Test also goes to the final day.