Praising kohli

ICC World Test Championship: Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali believes Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket is a “massive blow” to the format, hailing the Indian great as a “pioneer” whose passion and charisma brought fans to stadiums much like Sachin Tendulkar once did.

As India prepares for a stern five-Test challenge in England starting June 20 at Headingley, Moeen acknowledged that the absence of Kohli and Rohit Sharma is a significant setback for the visitors — and a timely advantage for the hosts.

“It’s a massive blow to Test cricket. Virat was the one pioneer, the one guy in Test cricket that always pushed the format,” Moeen told Sky Sports. “He’s done so much for the game, especially in India. I think after Sachin, he was the guy everybody came to watch. He filled out stadiums.”