India, May 12 -- It was always hard to fathom an Indian Test team without Sachin Tendulkar and the rest of the Fab Five. But rarely did the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane allow their absence to be felt. As India rose through the ranks and touched the ultimate highs-joining the echelons of the greatest Test teams in history-these players blossomed from being the Next-Gen into greats of the format, eventually ushering in a transition phase.

India moved on from Rahane and Pujara two years ago. But a bigger test awaits the selectors and team management as India transition into a new era without Kohli and Rohit. The latter announced his sudden retirement from Test cricket on May 7 via a social media ...