What happened when India last played a Test match without both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?

Team India fans have been blessed with one or both of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma donning the whites in every Test over the past decade. However, in a stunning development, both stalwarts retired from Tests within the past week, leaving a massive hole in the Indian Test side.

Rohit was the first to call it quits, announcing his retirement last Wednesday (May 7), while Kohli followed suit today (May 12). India will have to play their daunting five-Test series in England next month without the two legends.

It left fans wondering when the side last played a Test without both Kohli and Rohit and what transpired in the game. For that, we must rewind to the 2021/22 Test series in South Africa.

Rohit was out of the entire series due to a hamstring injury. However, Kohli, India's Test captain, led the side in the series opener in Centurion, with India winning by 113 runs.

But an upper back spasm ruled him out of the second Test in Johannesburg, resulting in KL Rahul leading the side. It was the last time India played a Test without their batting legends, and the result did not go in their favor.

India scored only 202 and 266 in the two innings as the Proteas completed a seven-wicket win. Kohli returned to lead the side in the series decider, but the hosts were too powerful and won again by seven wickets. Following the series, Rohit replaced Kohli as India's Test and all-format captain.

A lookback at Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's Test careers

Virat Kohli enjoyed a 14-year Test career from 2011 to 2015, while Rohit Sharma debuted two years later and played Tests for 12 years. Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of almost 47 with 30 centuries.

Meanwhile, Rohit finished with 4,301 runs in 67 outings at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries. The duo also had extended spells as Team India captains in the red-ball format.

Kohli was arguably India's best-ever Test captain, winning 40 out of 68 games, while Rohit won only 12 out of 24 as skipper. The pair helped India finish as World Test Championship (WTC) runners-up once each in 2021 and 2023.

Kohli also became the first captain to lead India to a Test series win in Australia in 2018/19. He also endured no series losses at home, something that cannot be said for Rohit. India had their 12-year series winning streak at home broken under Rohit with the 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at the end of last year.