5 Indian cricketers who might as well be touring England for the last time in Tests

Team India is currently taking part in a one-off Test against England. The team had faced England last year as well. However, this game could be the last time that some top Indian cricketers might be touring England for the last time. In this article, we take a look at five Indian cricketers who might as well be touring England for the last time in Tests.

India is in a transition period at the moment. The management is also looking at the future by including some youngsters. With the next World Test Championship Cycle starting in 2023, there could be some players who might be left out of the squad. Hence, this could be the last instance when they would tour England as part of Team India in Test cricket.

1) Cheteshwar Pujara

It was only due to his performance in the County Championship that Pujara earned a spot in Team India for the one-off game. For the previous series, the player had been dropped from the squad. It has been a while since Pujara has made a mark in the team. Hence, with the likes of Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan pushing for a spot in the squad, Pujara's time could be slowly running out.

2) Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav is one of the Indian cricketers who might as well be touring England for the last time in Tests. Whenever he gets an opportunity, Umesh Yadav does well. However, India might have to look past him, at least for the overseas games. He is well into his thirties and his performance is better when India is playing at home. Moreover, with players like Prasidh Krishna coming through, Umesh might have to give up his spot.

3) Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is also old and is struggling with fitness. After the 2023 50-over World Cup, Rohit might altogether step down as the captain in all the formats. Jasprit Bumrah is already doing the job in Tests in his absence and there are also the likes of KL Rahul in the queue. Hence, Rohit could be absent when India tours England next time around. 

4) R Ashwin

R Ashwin is also one of the Indian cricketers who might as well be touring England for the last time in Tests. In the five-game series, recently, Ashwin did not play a single match. Hence, his position is doubtful for future tournaments, especially when the team is playing in England. India is more likely to play four pacers and a suitable backup for Ravindra Jadeja could be groomed by then.

5) Virat Kohli

Fitness-wise, Virat Kohli can still play a few more years in all the formats of the game. However, his form is struggling and it may not be a surprise if he is sidelined from the Test team, to start with. If that happens, this might as well be the last time we could see Virat playing a Test in England for India.