India's Batting Line-up Still Formidable Without Rohit, Kohli: Ben Stokes Warns Rivals

England Test captain Ben Stokes is confident that India will still be a strong force in the five-match Test series coming up, even without the presence of legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The series is scheduled to begin on June 20, and Stokes, back from surgery, is expecting a stiff fight.

Now 33, Stokes is making a comeback after undergoing surgery on his left hamstring last December. He acknowledged the huge void left by Kohli’s absence, particularly his trademark grit and relentless competitiveness.

Earlier this month, both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement from Test cricket, marking the end of an era for Indian red-ball cricket.

"India has one thing and that is their line of batsmen; it is just unbelievable. The amount of time I have been in the IPL, they've got batsmen pouring out there… can't say anything on this here in this interview but you know what I am saying," Stokes said in a video published by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Even without two of India's finest batters, Stokes cautioned not to take the team lightly. "You can never take any Indian team lightly even if the fact that they are without two of their great batsmen.

He emphasized that England's approach would be to attack in the beginning and evolve as the game progresses. "We always try to get the opposition out early in the Test match and then try to see how we evolve during the game as the game develops. But I know they (India) have got two big retirements. They have been such a key part of the the Indian side and all the success that they've achieved," he stated.

Looking ahead to a challenging summer of cricket, Stokes said, “It’s going to be a long tough summer. Five Test matches always is, always is against India as well and tomorrow (the one-off Test against Zimbabwe) is the start of the tone setting.”

Reflecting on Kohli’s impact, Stokes admitted he would miss sharing the field with the former India captain. "Whatever India might lose perhaps is his fighting attitude out in the field, his competitiveness, hunger to win. He's owned No.18 (jersey) as it is. So, we have not seen No.18 on the back of any Indian jersey. It will be a pity not to be playing against him because we both playing against one another, we both share the same mindset on the field."

The English captain also praised Kohli’s performances and influence across both teams. “He’s been incredible. No doubt there’s been a lot of praise for him in India, there’s definitely been praise for him from players here. He’s done really well against England… he’s a class player,” he added.

Reminiscing Kohli's trademark shot, Stokes said, "(He's) just wow. He's probably someone I would recall about how hard he hit the ball through the covers. That cover drive would be the one."

Referring to his fitness quest, Stokes mentioned that he's feeling pumped up after a long rehabilitation. He had torn his hamstring while playing England's third Test against New Zealand in December.

"Pretty excited to get underway. Last game was in December. Everything's gone well, really. Worked extremely hard to get to where I am. There's excitement all around me, getting back on the field," he said.