Leg and Off: Should Virat Kohli skip a part of IPL 2025 to play the County Championship ahead of England Test tour?

Former India captain Virat Kohli has been under fire during and after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series. The veteran batter began the tour on a positive note with an unbeaten hundred in the first Test in Perth.

However, he failed to build on the momentum thereafter, struggling throughout the remaining four Tests. Kohli added just 90 more runs after the Perth Test. He finished the series with disappointing numbers, scoring just 190 runs from nine innings at an average of 23.75.

Virat Kohli's failure to perform was among the key reasons for India's 1-3 series loss. They also lost an opportunity to make it to the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The right-hander is under the scanner, particularly for being dismissed multiple times edging the outside off-stump ball behind throughout the series.

Not only has his place in the Test side been questioned again but he has also been adviced to play domestic cricket. With India set to tour England for a Test series later this year, conversations about whether Kohli should play the County Championship have also risen.

---

Should Virat Kohli skip a part of IPL 2025 to play the County Championship ahead of England Test tour?

Playing the County Championship ahead of the England Test tour could certainly do Virat Kohli some good. It could help the batter prepare for what could be a final make-or-break series as far as his Test career is concerned.

However, playing in the County Championship may not be as easy for Kohli as it appears from the outside. While reports of Kohli playing the County Championship are doing the rounds, it will clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The IPL 2025 season is expected to be held from March to May. Typically, the final is held during the end of May, as seen in the past seasons.

India will take on England in the first Test that begins on June 20. The seventh round of the County Championship matches will take place from May 23-26. Meanwhile, the eight-round matches will only begin on June 22. Should the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs and beyond, Virat Kohli will be unable to play County cricket.

The only possible way for Kohli to play County cricket is by skipping a part of the IPL 2025 season. More importantly, it will be during the knockout stages, where RCB, which relies a lot on Kohli, would be most unlikely to let their key player skip those matches.

Ideally, playing in the County Championship will be vital for Kohli. It will help the batter get used to the conditions in England. Keeping the 2027 WTC final in mind, it will also be a crucial series for India. On a personal level as well, the England series will be one where Kohli has to perform as he is fighting to keep his place in the Test side.

Considering his form in Tests and looking at the larger picture, Virat Kohli should ideally be willing to skip a part of the IPL season. Playing in the County Championship could do him a world of good in terms of preparations. However, whether he does skip an important part of the IPL season, and whether the RCB management lets him do so, remains to be seen.