Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s decision to play County cricket and miss the historic inaugural Test match of Afghanistan against India had created a conflict within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As per a report in The Indian Express, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) wants Kohli to play County cricket and become familiar with England’s pitches before India’s series-opening T20 game against English team at Manchester on July 3. But the Indian cricket board officials seek the Virat’s presence for Afghanistan’s debut Test.
“If a decision has been taken to allow the India captain to miss an international game and play County cricket at that point of time, it would set a very bad precedent. It would give a very bad message to the visiting Afghanistan team; that maybe the opponents aren’t worthy for us. It would be disrespectful to the Afghanistan team and also, it would be unfair on the broadcaster,” a cricket board official told The Indian Express.
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“(Even if) he is playing in England at that time, he can come back for one Test and then fly back. And if he is so keen to play County cricket, has he sought permission to miss his IPL games?” the official further added.
Earlier, Virat Kohli has said playing county cricket in England ahead of their tour later this summer will help improve his game.
“Playing county cricket will help me improve my game,” Kohli told NDTV.
“I think it makes things more challenging and more competitive and there are no guarantees whether you are going to do well even if you go in advance.
“It’s just about giving yourself more opportunity to get used to the conditions that you are not used to.”
Kohli does not have a good record in England in Tests, managing just 134 runs in five Tests at 13.40 during the 2014 tour.
-With IANS inputs.
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