ENG vs IND : Sanjay Manjrekar Advices Virat Kohli To Play County Cricket Ahead Of India’s Tour of England in 2025

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Virat Kohli, 36, has been struggling off late in Tests, and it is unclear whether the batter will make a trip to England later this year for the five-match Test series. The right-handed batter Virat Kohli‘s fortunes have changed 360 degrees. From being the best player in the playing XI to finding himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, Virat Kohli has a lot to do.

Sanjay Manjrekar feels Virat Kohli should play in the English County Championship to regain form ahead of India’s Test tour of England. India and England will lock horns in four Tests in June-July, and Virat Kohli will be desperate for a turnaround in his fortunes after dismal outings against New Zealand and Australia recently.

Virat Kohli’s current form in red ball cricket is concerning and alarming

Virat Kohli has been battling poor form throughout the year, and averages only 25 in the 9 matches he has played in 2024.
The time might just be running out for Virat Kohli— the Test batter. In the ongoing IND vs AUS Test series, the 36-year-old Virat Kohli has largely failed, except for that majestic ton in Perth. In the Brisbane Test too, Virat Kohli succumbed to his weakness outside off, that is leading to his downfall. This year, in the first innings’ of a Test, he only averages only 9, which is poor by every standard.

Virat Kohli has a kryptonite, and it’s the balls outside off-stump. All his dismissals in the four innings thus far of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy have come edging the ball pitched on either fourth or fifth stump. Why Kohli continues to poke at them, only he knows, but truth be told, time is running out. Even the great Virat Kohli can’t figure out how to deal with it. At 36, more than fitness, of which Kohli is the ultimate king, reflexes and muscle memories play a more vital role.

Virat Kohli had an underwhelming tour of Australia, managing just 190 runs in 9 innings. His numbers would have looked far worse had he not scored a century in the series opener in Perth. The batter with 30 Test tons to his name was dismissed in a similar fashion on all eight occasions as he kept on chasing wide deliveries bowled well outside off stump.

At 36, Virat Kohli is still a mainstay in India’s Test XI but his form has been waning, with the right-hander averaging just 23.15 since the start of 2024. He played all five Tests in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy and had a torrid time despite scoring a century in the first Test in Perth, finishing the series with an average of 23.75 while getting dismissed in identical fashion eight times out of eight.

Former India batter and renowned expert Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli should take a leaf out of Cheteshwar Pujara’s book and play County Cricket ahead of the five-Test series in England in order to rediscover his touch in red-ball cricket. Manjrekar reckons it’s time for Kohli to consider playing County Cricket ahead of the England Tests.

Sanjay Manjrekar Advices Virat Kohli To Play County Cricket Ahead Of India’s Tour of England in 2025

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Kohli needs to play county cricket before the tour of England to possibly be in good shape for the five-match series.

Speaking on Star Sports’ Deep Point podcast, Manjrekar stressed on Kohli gaining some much-needed practice in red-ball cricket in English conditions before the Tests come calling.

“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.

“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.

Former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar voiced his support for Kohli, expressing confidence in the batter’s ability to make a strong comeback thanks to his fitness.

“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.

Deep Dasgupta emphasized that Sharma and Kohli are incomparable, adding that Sharma needs to address specific concerns to retain his position in the Indian cricket team.

“Let’s not club Rohit and Virat together,” Dasgupta said. “Just like in the previous generation of Indian cricket, where Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid) were different, you have to evaluate each player individually. For Rohit, the next five months of predominantly international white-ball cricket and the IPL will be crucial.

The weight of his performances in these formats will be telling. Beyond that, factors like his first-class cricket form, fitness levels, and performance in the Champions Trophy will also be important. The final decision rests with the selectors.”

Virat Kohli was recently named in Delhi’s 22-member Ranji Trophy squad for the upcoming fixture against Saurashtra on January 23. However, it remains to be seen whether Virat Kohli will make himself available for this contest. Virat Kohli had last played the Ranji Trophy for Delhi 13 years ago in 2012.

Realistically speaking, Kohli will only be able to play the County Championship ahead of the England Tests if he skips the Indian Premier League (IPL). There will be eight rounds of County Cricket played till May 26, after which there will be a month-long break.

But here’s where it gets complicated: by the time the action resumes, the England and India series (beginning June 20) would already have started. Practically, Virat Kohli can play one round of The County Championship (round 8, starting May 23) if Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) get knocked out in the group stages. But even that’s a stretch.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights

 


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