Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has advised veteran batter Virat Kohli to take inspiration from Cheteshwar Pujara and consider playing County cricket ahead of India’s England tour. The suggestion follows Kohli’s underwhelming performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia.
Despite starting the series with an unbeaten century in the first Test at Perth, the 36-year-old struggled in the remaining four matches, managing just 190 runs at an average of 23.75 across nine innings. Kohli’s repeated dismissals to deliveries outside the off-stump, an ongoing weakness in his game, were particularly notable.
Speaking on Star Sports’ Deep Point podcast, the 59-year-old remarked [as quoted by the Indian Express]:
“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, as Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice.”
“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.
Virat Kohli’s Mixed Test Record in England
Virat Kohli’s first Test series in England came in 2014, where he struggled significantly against deliveries outside the off-stump, scoring just 134 runs across 10 innings at a dismal average of 13.40.
However, the Delhi-born batter bounced back brilliantly in the 2018 series, amassing 593 runs in 10 innings at an impressive average of 59.30, including three half-centuries and two centuries. During the 2021-22 tour, his performance dipped, as he managed 249 runs in nine innings at an average of 27.66.
Overall, Kohli has featured in 17 Tests in England, scoring 1,096 runs at an average of 33.21, with five half-centuries and two centuries to his name.
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