CHENNAI: Virat Kohli on Wednesday said he hoped to play county cricket before India’s next tour of England and try to improve on his poor showing during the team’s last visit.
The captain has hit 640 runs during the first four Tests against England, a far cry from his average of 13.40 when India last visited the country in 2014.
England’s James Anderson said India’s dry pitches covered up “flaws” in Kohli’s technique, prompting an outraged response from spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who confronted the fast bowler during the fourth Test in Mumbai.
But when asked, ahead of the fifth and final Test in Chennai, if he would like to play county cricket in England, Kohli said: “If I have a chance I would love to do that.
“I would love to be there a month or month-and-a-half beforehand getting used to playing in the conditions, understand what the wickets play like in that phase of the year.”
Kohli’s series-leading total of runs has led India to an emphatic 3-0 victory over England with one Test still to come, avenging two consecutive series defeats to the visitors.
He said he was trying to work out how to fit in a county stint before India’s tour in 2018, while still playing the lucrative April-May Indian Premier League.
“I have actually been thinking about it and try to work out how I can make that happen. Most definitely if I have time I would love to,” said Kohli.
