Virat Kohli is hogging the limelight after reports emerged that the veteran has decided to call it a day from Test cricket. It has been revealed that Kohli has already informed the BCCI about his decision, and he is not ready to play in the upcoming Test series against England. However, the board officials are trying to persuade him to continue, considering the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead against the Ben Stokes-led unit.
With over 9000 runs and 30 hundreds, Kohli is one of the finest batters of his generation. The 36-year-old has played 123 Tests since making his debut against the West Indies in 2011. Rohit Sharma has already bid adieu to the longest format, and the team can’t bear the absence of another senior player in England.
Former India player and head coach Lal Chand Rajput has opined on the importance of Kohli in the Test team.
“I would say Virat Kohli is one of the greatest players. His conversion rate and the number of matches he has won while chasing are fantastic. He has scored more than 75 hundreds in both formats. So if you look at his record, I don’t think anybody can come near except Sachin Tendulkar,” Lal Chand Rajput told PTI.
“Virat is the most seasoned player, and I am sure the BCCI will definitely request him to play at least on the tour of England. But this is premature, as we don’t know exactly what is going on. Whether they are trying to persuade him or not, once the decision has been taken, we can take a call on that. But I still feel Virat should be playing in England,” he added.
Overall, Virat has hit 82 hundreds across formats in international cricket. He has accumulated 51 tons in the fifty-over format, while his count is 30 centuries in Test cricket. Virat has smashed one hundred in T20Is.