"Can Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara return?" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's retirement ahead of IND vs ENG 2025 Tests

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara should return to the Indian squad for the Test tour of England. He pointed out that the visitors will miss Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's services on the difficult tour.

India will tour England for a five-match Test series, with the first game starting in Leeds on June 20. With Rohit and Kohli announcing their retirement from Tests, the visitors might have a relatively inexperienced batting lineup in their first series of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator wondered whether Rahane or Pujara should be considered for the England series.

"There was another discussion that if Virat Kohli is not going, although it's been heard that someone is trying to convince him, can Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara return, just for this series?" he said (11:05).

Chopra added that the veteran duo could be in the scheme of things to lend experience to the batting lineup in Rohit's and Kohli's absence.

"Can the team go in that direction? Can they think from that point of view? I am voicing it because it's the England tour. If it had been any other tour, I would have said 'let's go with kids.' However, if both Kohli and Rohit are not there, maybe you want to think about Pujara or Rahane. Both are playing well and scoring runs," he observed.

Ajinkya Rahane, who last played for India in July 2023, has aggregated 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 in 85 Tests. Cheteshwar Pujara, who last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship final, has scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.60 in 103 Tests.

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"I have my serious doubts" - Aakash Chopra on Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara's return for IND vs ENG 2025 Tests

Ajinkya Rahane has been among the runs for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that India are unlikely to recall Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara to their Test squad.

"I have my serious doubts about the Indian team going in that direction because they have Yashasvi Jaiswal with KL Rahul for opening. Shubman Gill might come at No. 4 because he might eventually like that number," he said (11:45).

The analyst added that India have enough options to fill the vacant batting positions.

"Sai Sudharsan could be at No. 3, then Shubman Gill at No. 4, and (potential) vice-captain Rishabh Pant at No. 5. You might think about keeping one among Nitish Kumar Reddy, Karun Nair and Sarfaraz Khan at No. 6. If you start thinking in that direction, there won't be a place. I feel the Indian team might want to go in that direction," Chopra elaborated.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Nitish Kumar Reddy performed decently in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant were found slightly wanting with the bat on that tour.

Sai Sudharsan is yet to make his Test debut. While Karun Nair hasn't played a Test since March 2017, Sarfaraz Khan wasn't picked in the playing XI in any of the five Tests against Australia.