"Could be a very sensible move" - Former India batter advises Virat Kohli to follow the Cheteshwar Pujara route after dismal BGT 2024-25

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that veteran batter Virat Kohli draw inspiration from out-of-favor cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara and consider playing County cricket ahead of India's tour of England. This advice comes after Kohli’s disappointing performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia.

Although the 36-year-old began the series with an unbeaten century in the first Test in Perth, he struggled in the following four matches and finished with just 190 runs at a modest average of 23.75 across nine innings.

What stood out was Kohli's repeated dismissals to deliveries outside the off-stump — a recurring issue he has faced over the years.

In a conversation on Star Sports' Deep Point podcast, the 59-year-old said [as quoted by 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.

Meanwhile, Kohli has been included in Delhi’s provisional squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra in Rajkot, starting January 23. However, according to recent reports, the star batter is unlikely to play due to neck pain.

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Virat Kohli has a par record in Tests in England

Virat Kohli first toured England for a Test series in 2014, where he struggled, particularly against deliveries outside the off-stump. He managed only 134 runs in 10 innings, with a disappointing average of 13.40.

However, the Delhi-born cricketer made a stunning comeback in the 2018 series, scoring 593 runs in 10 innings at an exceptional average of 59.30, which included three fifties and two centuries. During the 2021-22 tour, he had a modest outing, amassing 249 runs in nine innings at an average of 27.66.

In total, Kohli has played 17 Tests in England, accumulating 1,096 runs at an average of 33.21, with five fifties and two centuries.