Virat Kohli has expressed a desire to play county cricket in 2018 in preparation for India’s Test tour that summer. In stark contrast to the form that has seen Kohli score 1,200 runs at an average of 80 in 2016, India’s previous Test tour of England two years ago proved a tough affair on a personal level. Averaging only 13.4 with a top score of 39, Kohli was removed four times in the 3-1 defeat by Jimmy Anderson.
It was England’s record wicket-taker who was asked during the recent Mumbai Test how much the right-hander’s game has changed since then, leading him to query whether, in fact, the Indian pitches on show this series simply mean any related technical issues were not in play. The true answer will not be known for another 18 months, when India play a five-Test series in England.
And leading into that tour, Kohli would be interested in becoming just the second of the current generation of Indian batsmen, after Cheteshwar Pujara’s spells at Derbyshire and Yorkshire, to work on his game in the County Championship with a view to acclimatising.
“If I have a chance I would love to do that,” said the 28-year-old Kohli, who sits second in the world Test-batting rankings. “I would love to be there a month or month and a half beforehand to get used to playing in the conditions and understand what the wickets play like in that phase of the year.
“I think those things matter a lot and is something that is very crucial for a side. So yes, if I have the opportunity to go there a few days before the tour starts that would be great. I have actually been thinking about it and trying to work out how I can make that happen. Most definitely, if I have time, I would love to.”
Kohli’s availability would likely hinge on whether there is a sufficient window in between the Indian Premier League and the start of the tour, the dates of which are yet to be confirmed. Even a short spell would be of interest to counties, however.
