Kapil Dev urges Virat Kohli to play county cricket to improve record in England

Sport360 staff 15:20 07/03/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Kohli's participation in the sole Test remains under a cloud.

    Former India skipper Kapil Dev has advised Virat Kohli to test his mettle in the county cricket circuit if he wants to prepare himself for the tour of England.

    The legendary all-rounder had led India to their maiden ICC World Cup crown in 1983, on English soil. While speaking to the British media, Kapil Dev emphasised on the point that Kohli should be able to score runs in all conditions to be considered a true great of the game.

    “Practice makes a man perfect. One has to practise those conditions,” he said.

    “The bar which we as cricketers set for these people is that you have to be good in all conditions. That’s what we used to say about Allan Border or Vivian Richards or Sunil Gavaskar – they were players to play any part, anywhere, any kind of conditions, they used to perform.

    “Virat Kohli, the question mark is in front of him, it’s there. He has to get runs where it is considered to be the toughest conditions in the world.”

    India are slated to tour England in June this year n for five Tests, as many ODIs and a sole T20. Kohli, who has been scoring run for fun of late, has a dismal record in England compared to his remarkable numbers in other parts of the world.

    The right-handed batsman had averaged a measly 13.4 on his last tour of the country in 2014.

    The 29-year-old has previously expressed his desire to test himself in county cricket. However, with his commitments to the Indian Premier League (IPL), it will be a difficult call for the Indian skipper to make since it clashes with the county season.

    Kapil Dev believes a season or two in county cricket could do Kohli a world of good.

    Kapil Dev led India to its first World Cup title in 1983.

    Kapil Dev led India to its first World Cup title in 1983.

    “What we’re seeing, with his temperament, I think he’s good enough. It all depends if he gets a good start. He has the ability,” he stated.

    “If he can play a season or two in English county cricket there would be nothing wrong, because if you want to be the best player in the world you have to get runs everywhere.”

    Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma have signed up for county teams for the 2018 season after missing out on the IPL auctions earlier.

    Previously, many Indian stalwarts have tried their hand in England’s domestic competition. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Rahul Dravid and Ravichandran Ashwin have all had various stints in county cricket over the course of their careers.

    While his multi-million dollar deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL means it is impossible that the Indian superstar will play county cricket any time soon, it would be great to see Kohli take up the challenge of county cricket somewhere down the line.

    Recommended