'India will miss aura of Virat Kohli': Ollie Pope
What's the story
Ahead of the highly-anticipated five-match Test series, England vice-captain Ollie Pope has said that Team India will miss the presence and aura of Virat Kohli.
The former Indian captain recently announced his retirement from the Test format, leaving a huge void in the team.
Pope acknowledged India's young and talented squad under new captain Shubman Gill but emphasized that they would miss Kohli's on-field charisma and banter.
Context
Why does this story matter?
India, who are undergoing a transition phase, aim to win their first Test series on England soil since July 2007.
Kohli, India's most successful Test skipper, has led the side in 10 Tests on England soil.
As per ESPNcricinfo, no other player has captained India in more than nine such Tests. MS Dhoni follows Kohli on this list with nine appearances.
Under Kohli, India won three and lost six Tests in England.
His contributions while leading in England remain invaluable!
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Multiple Test wins in England
It is worth noting that Kohli is one of only two Indian captains with multiple Test wins on England soil. Under the legendary Kapil Dev, India beat England 2-0 away from home in 1986.
Talent recognition
Pope on Indian team
Pope praised the depth and talent of the new Indian team, saying they have a lot of young players coming through.
He specifically mentioned skipper Gill as a fantastic player.
However, he also stated that India would miss Kohli's presence at slips and his constant banter with the opposition.
Despite this, Pope was confident of England's preparation for the all-important series.
Strategic importance
'India series will help us focus on Ashes'
Pope also stressed the strategic importance of the upcoming series against India, calling it perfect preparation for The Ashes.
He said, "It's a great time for us to play India... with India coming over, the level of quality that they will bring is a great way for us to focus on that and not look too far ahead."
Information
India's squad for England Test series
India's squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-captain and Wicket-keeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.