"You can give a 2-Test guarantee" - Former India batter makes an interesting suggestion over Virat Kohli conundrum for England series

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar reckons Virat Kohli should be picked for the Test series in England later this year despite his struggles in Australia. He, however, opined that the veteran batter needs to have much better preparations and must be told that he has to perform in the first two Tests to retain his place.

Kohli scored an impressive hundred in the second innings of the Perth Test. However, he managed only 90 runs combined during his other visits to the crease. The 36-year-old kept getting out to deliveries outside off stump, reminiscent of his woes against James Anderson in 2014 in England.

During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar backed Kohli to be part of the five-match Test series in England. He, however, warned against a repeat of what happened during the five-match series in Australia.

"Virat Kohli should be [picked for England Test] in my mind. I think there should be a little better preparation for Virat Kohli. It can't be a Ranji Trophy game here - has to be going out there well in time, playing some serious county cricket," Manjrekar commented.

"Just because it's an iconic figure, you can't have a repeat of what happened in Australia. You see Virat Kohli also not being able to overcome his problems. You can give a two-Test guarantee and see if there is any possibility of that tremendous mind of his making something different happen this time," the 59-year-old added.

Kohli was dismissed for 5 in the first innings of the first Test in Perth but followed it up with 100*. In the next Test in Adelaide, a pink-ball game, he was dismissed 7 & 11 and managed only 3 in Brisbane. The right-handed batter had a highest score of 36 from his last four innings on the tour.

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"Numbers are saying that things aren't looking good" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli's Test form

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has acknowledged that things are not looking too bright concerning Kohli's Test future. Speaking about his poor returns, he opined that while a player can decide when he wants to retire, the prerogative of picking a cricketer rests with the selectors. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said:

"Unfortunately, the numbers of the last five years are saying that whoever is talking is not about propaganda or agenda. You can see home or away, the numbers are saying that things aren't looking good."

"Irfan (Pathan) said on Star Sports that if Virat Kohli hasn't scored runs for five years, play a kid as he too would score runs at an average of 25. What you want to do is your choice but the selection is the selectors' job," he added.

Since the start of 2021, Kohli has featured in 36 Tests and has scored 1,912 runs at a middling average of 31.86. He has managed only three centuries during this period, with a best of 186.