England on mind, Virat Kohli to skip Afghan Test for Surrey stint

Mumbai: Despite the batting powerhouse that Virat Kohli has grown up to be in the last few years, England has always proved to be a tough outing for the Indian skipper. With just 134 runs in five Test matches and a dismal average of 13.40, doing well in England has been a top priority for the India captain.


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As the tour of England comprising five Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is nears, Kohli has opted for a county stint with

Surrey

this June to prepare well for the English Test.

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The first Test begins on August 1 at Edgbaston In doing so, the skipper will miss Afghanistan’s debut Test in India to be hosted in Bengaluru starting June 14 and will instead head to the south of London post the Indian Premier League (IPL). Home to the historic Kia Oval in South London, Surrey have played hosts to some of the game’s legends and Kohli will become first Indian to join their ranks.

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Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara is likely to extend his association with Yorkshire in the same month. In fact, with Surrey set to clash with Yorkshire in June, Kohli and Pujara could well find themselves clashing with each other as India gear up to put their best foot forward in England.

Prior to the start of this series, Surrey is scheduled to play three four-day matches between June 9 and 28 against Hampshire, Somerset and Yorkshire which Kohli is likely to make himself available for.