Virat Kohli can play county cricket in England before Test series: Sanjay Manjrekar

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Virat Kohli should ensure he plays enough red-ball cricket before the tour of England, starting June 20, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said. The former batter urged Kohli to follow in the footsteps of Cheteshwar Pujara and gain valuable red-ball experience in the Old Blighty to regain form for the much-awaited Test series.

Virat Kohli’s Test form has been severely scrutinised after his inability to step up during the 2024-25 Test season. Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s failure with the bat was pivotal in India’s series defeats against New Zealand and Australia. Kohli managed just 93 runs in three Tests during India’s unprecedented 0-3 defeat to the Black Caps at home in October-November. He was unable to improve his form in Australia, one of his favourite hunting grounds. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli scored 195 runs in five Tests. After a century in the series opener in Perth, his form nosedived as he managed just 95 runs in his last eight innings.

Virat Kohli’s persistent weakness against deliveries bowled in the uncertainty corridor outside the off-stump was exposed. He was dismissed eight times across five Tests, caught in the slip cordon as Australian bowlers set traps and executed their plans to perfection, more often than not.

The series defeat in Australia and India’s subsequent failure to reach the World Test Championship final have raised questions about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s futures in the Test set-up.

However, Manjrekar backed Kohli to turn things around, provided he gives himself time to work on his weaknesses in red-ball cricket.

“Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket. The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. He could join a county team, like Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice,” Manjrekar said in the latest episode of Star Sports’ Deep Point podcast.

“India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches. If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we’ve seen before. That wouldn’t be good for Indian cricket. Playing county cricket could be a very sensible move for him,” he added.

While Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have participated in County Championships in recent years, Kohli has not featured in domestic cricket for over a decade. It remains to be seen whether Kohli will be able to find time for the County Championship, given his busy IPL commitments from March to May.

BANGAR BACKS KOHLI

Meanwhile, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who worked closely with Kohli during his time in the Indian dressing room, backed the star batter to continue playing for India.

“I’m still backing him. Even at 36 (years old), he’s as fit as ever. His fitness levels are remarkable, and I believe he can continue playing at the highest level,” Bangar said.

Virat Kohli was named in Delhi’s 22-member Ranji Trophy squad for the last two rounds of the domestic tournament, starting 23 January. It remains to be seen whether Kohli will make himself available for Delhi for their away game against Saurashtra in Rajkot. Kohli last played a Ranji Trophy game in the 2012-13 season.

Published By:

Akshay Ramesh

Published On:

Jan 17, 2025



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