India, June 17 -- Nick Knight believes India's transition in the post-Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma era could have been far smoother had Shreyas Iyer been part of the Test squad for the England tour. The former England opener sees Iyer as a key figure India could've leaned on during this phase of rebuilding. Iyer has been in top-notch form across all formats over the past season, but hasn't been a part of the Test team since early last year.

With two generational batters, Kohli and Rohit, stepping away from the red-ball format last month, India's top order is now defined by promise more than pedigree. Knight, now a respected voice in the commentary box, stressed how critical this moment is for the new-look Indian batting unit. While he di...