For over 50 years now, a batting superstar has been the face of Indian cricket. From the 1970s to the 1980s, it was Sunil Gavaskar. Sachin Tendulkar took over the mantle for more than 2 decades and post his retirement in 2013, it belongs to Virat Kohli. But, not for long.
Having retired from Test and T20I cricket, Kohli won’t be the face of Indian cricket for long now. Someone new will take over. Will it be Shubman Gill, who was labelled as ‘Prince’ since Kohli was called ‘King’, virtually saying that Gill is next in line? Or perhaps Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been among the best Test batters since his debut in 2023?
Recently, Monty Panesar spoke exclusively to InsideSport, where he shared how Sai Sudharsan might be the next Indian superstar and someone who can be the next Virat Kohli.
Sudharsan, India’s next Kohli?
Panesar has seen Sudharsan perform from up close. The talented 23-year-old has represented Surrey in the County Championship for the last 2 years and has done well. His technique and temperament have stood out. Excelling in English conditions isn’t easy but Sudharsan has successfully done that. And that’s why Panesar rates him highly.
He thinks Sudharsan has all the necessary skills to excel in international cricket, particularly Tests. He believes that the southpaw could be the next batting superstar, like Virat Kohli was the last decade, and can even take over his number four position in Test cricket.
“There are some really good youngsters in the team at the moment. One particular batsman is a Surrey player, Sai Sudharsan. He looks very aggressive and fearless. He’s a player who’s done well in English conditions and for Surrey. I think he could be the next superstar of Indian cricket and take on the role that Virat Kohli did at number four,” Panesar told InsideSport.
INSIDESPORT EXCLUSIVEMonty Panesar reveals the next Virat Kohli of Indian cricket and it’s not Shubman Gill #CricketTwitter #ViratKohli? pic.twitter.com/g45PqjOiBW
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) June 9, 2025Carry Kohli’s Test spirit
On a broader note, Panesar also talked about seeing the new Indian Test team carry Kohli’s spirit. The former captain has always been high on red-ball cricket. So much so, that after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time, he gave Test cricket a shout and claimed it’s much higher than winning an IPL trophy.
“The one thing I’d like to do is carry on the legacy of Virat Kohli. The way he played Test cricket, I would like to see the young Indian Test play like that,” the former spinner added.
EXCLUSIVE | Sai Sudharsan could be the next Virat Kohli, predicts Monty Panesar Inside Sport India.
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