ENG vs IND 2021: Can’t write off modern-day great Virat Kohli – Ajit Agarkar

Former Indian fast bowler Ajit Agarkar feels it would be a mistake to write off modern-day great Virat Kohli as the Indian skipper would look to score big runs in the remaining three Test matches against England.

Kohli hasn’t been in the best of forms and he will aim to turn the tables in the coming matches.

The talisman is India’s best batsman but he hasn’t been able to deliver consistently in the recent past. Since January 2020, Kohli has been averaging 23.94 and has failed to deliver the goods for the team.

The Indian skipper had an average of 19 in 2020 and he is averaging 26.45 in 2021. In fact, Kohli’s last Test century came back in 2019 against Bangladesh in the pink-ball Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which was also his last International century.

Kohli has always been consistent at the top level but he has veered off the track in the last couple of years. The Indian captain has been getting off to starts but hasn’t been able to convert them into substantial scores.

Kohli has been troubled by the fifth-sixth stump line and he has failed to hit the ground running, like he used to do in the past. The linchpin would like to work on his game and came out all guns blazing.

“Let’s wait and see, but in three innings you do not want to write someone off who has been a modern-day great,” Agarkar said while talking to Sony Sports.

“Virat Kohli got runs against England in the 2018 series with all their bowlers available. He got a great ball from James Anderson in the first Test, fought hard for his 40 odd in the second Test. You bowl an outswinger to batsmen in the corridor, they will knick the ball. These are conditions where the ball does swing and seam around. Bowling on the fourth stump is very difficult to play for most batsmen,” he added.

Agarkar added that Kohli would be eager to get big runs in the remaining matches of the series and he has all the experience to do so.

“When a bowler is in a good spell, that Sam Curran ball in the second innings of the Lord’s Test was a good deception. I am sure Kohli will like to get runs and all fans would like him to get big runs. The guy has got enough runs in international cricket, and maybe when you do not get runs, you are eager to get into the series, that might have happened,” he added.

There is no doubt that Kohli is going to hold the key and the team will hope their skipper bounces back to form.