The five-match Test series between India and England kicked off on Friday, June 20. While fans are buzzing about India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill, there’s also a wave of nostalgia and emotion, with several legendary players — including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin — missing from the lineup after announcing their retirement from Test cricket.

Ashwin’s Absence Felt Deeply by His Wife

Among those feeling the weight of this transition is Ravichandran Ashwin’s wife, Prithi Narayanan. In a heartfelt Instagram story, she shared her emotions on the opening day of IND vs ENG Test series.

“Test match day for India, and I woke up with many mixed feelings. Have to find a different way to love it and unlearn the only way I knew to.”

Her message touched fans deeply, offering a personal glimpse into what Ashwin’s retirement means beyond the cricket field.

Ashwin had shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from Test cricket after the third match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His decision, made public on December 18, 2024, marked the end of a remarkable era in Indian cricket.

Now, as India embarks on its first Test series without Ashwin, Rohit, or Kohli, fans and loved ones alike are feeling the emotional void left by these cricketing giants.

For the first time in years, India is playing a Test series without the iconic trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

While Ashwin bid farewell to the format midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement just before the start of the ongoing five-match series against England. Their absence marks the beginning of a new era in Indian Test cricket.