England pacer Ollie Robinson expressed anticipation for a potential face-off with star Indian batter Virat Kohli in the upcoming five-match Test series set to commence on January 25 in India. Ollie Robinson can be the trump card for England who not only has got express pace but can stun the batters with his foxy variations.
Ollie Robinson has previously dismissed Kohli three times during the Test series when India toured England in 2021. Acknowledging the challenge of keeping a seasoned batsman like Kohli quiet, the English cricketer mentioned his willingness to engage in some on-field banter if necessary.
I think playing on Virat Kohli’s ego- Ollie Robinson
In an interview with ESPNCricinfo ahead of England’s tour of India, Ollie Robinson shared his thoughts on facing Virat Kohli, stating,
“You always want to play against the best players, don’t you? And you always want to get the best players out. Kohli is one of those. He’s got a big ego and I think playing on that, especially in India, where he is going to want to dominate and score runs, playing on the fact we’ve had battles in the past, is exciting,”
Robinson also expressed his admiration for the seam position of Indian pacer Mohammed Shami and highlighted the valuable lessons he learned from observing the bowling techniques of another seasoned player, Ishant Sharma, in the Indian conditions. He added,
“I’ve actually been practicing Mohammed Shami’s dead-straight seam. He’s one of the best bowlers for India. I was looking at Ishant [Sharma] as well – he played at Sussex for a bit and he’s done really well in India for quite a while. He’s tall, similar to me,”
Unfortunately, Mohammed Shami will not be available for the first two Tests as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 World Cup.
Support James Anderson, support the spinners, and just support the team– Ollie Robinson 0n his role in India’s tour
Ollie Robinson has been absent from the England squad since the third Test in the Ashes last year, where he suffered a back spasm, leading to his withdrawal from the remainder of the series. With Stuart Broad having retired, Robinson is in contention to start the first Test alongside James Anderson strengthening England’s pace department.
Discussing his mindset ahead of the Test series against India, Robinson remarked:
“I prepared like I was going to be the leader of the attack for years, and probably looked too far ahead, if anything. I think now, maturing a little bit and knowing what can happen, I’m preparing like I’m playing another series and just going to do my best for England. Not looking too far ahead, not looking to be the leader of the attack or anything like that. Support Jimmy, support the spinners, and just support the team,”
Ollie Robinson served as a reserve player in the England Test squad during the 2021 tour of India, where the visitors faced a 3-1 series defeat.