India, May 14 -- Much like the case 12 years ago, Indian cricket, especially the Test team, finds itself at the crossroads. The era, the pillars that helped India thrive over the last decade and more, have stood down. Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin have all retired; Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav are no longer in the picture. Ravindra Jadeja is the last remaining chip off the old block. To a certain extent, even Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are, but it's obviously not the same.

The transition phase is here. With Gautam Gambhir as head coach, India will usher in a new direction in the new World Test Championship cycle, starting with a five-match series against England, of which non...