'Not long ago...': Virat Kohli's brother takes veiled swipe at Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill amidst bowlers' struggles in England

Vikas Kohli, Virat Kohli's brother, posted a mysterious message on social media during the fourth Test match against England in Manchester. It is widely believed to be a scathing indictment of the team's current leadership, which includes captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

On Saturday, as England piled on a mammoth 669 runs in their first innings, Vikas Kohli took to Instagram's Threads app to post a nostalgic and pointed remark. He wrote, "NOT LONG AGO…. We had a test team… where our bowlers use to take 20 wickets….."

The post went viral almost immediately, with cricket fans and analysts decoding it as a direct comparison to the era when Virat Kohli captained the Test side. Under his leadership, India was renowned for its formidable pace attack that consistently took twenty wickets to win Test matches, both at home and overseas.

The post's timing was especially instructive. At Old Trafford, India's bowlers had trouble getting through, and Jasprit Bumrah gave up more than 100 runs in a Test match for the first time in his career. Under the new leadership of Gambhir and Gill, the team's preference for all-rounders over specialist bowlers has drawn a lot of criticism. This strategy is viewed as deviating from Virat Kohli's belief that a five-man bowling attack is the best way to win games.

Many could see the implication even though Vikas Kohli did not specifically name anyone in his post. The "brutal dig" has stoked the ongoing discussion regarding the current captain and coach's selection practices and tactical choices, and it suggests a perceived deterioration in the bowling unit's effectiveness. India is now in a difficult position to salvage the Test match and the series, which they are currently behind 1-2, after giving up a huge first-innings lead of 311 runs to England.

Also read| Mohammad Azharuddin slams 'double standards' on India-Pakistan cricket, questions Asia Cup 2025 participation