By chairman on Monday, 22 January 2018
Category: News

MICHAEL HOLDING: KOHLI NOT A GREAT PLAYER UNTIL HE PERFORMS IN ENGLAND

 Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror, Holding was full of praise for the India captain but says he will not refer to him as ‘great’ until he succeeds in England.

“Virat Kohli is a fantastic batsman. I was asked to name three top cricketers and I included Kohli in that list. He is a very, very good player. When I see him score runs in England, I would call him a great player. I like people who score runs everywhere. He is an extremely good player.”

Kohli will not have to wait too long to have the chance to prove his worth, with India travelling to England to play three T20Is and three ODIs in July before the five-Test series in August.

Kohli’s Test average dips from 63.50 at home to 45.32 overseas, while his numbers in England fall of a cliff.

Kohli struggled in English conditions in 2014

India’s five-Test tour of England in 2014 saw Kohli score 134 runs at 13.40 with a highest score of 39.

2018 provides the India skipper with an opportunity to quell the conversation of his vulnerability in English conditions.

Holding also questioned his approach to captaincy.

“As a captain, he has some work to do. I don't want to condemn him too much because I like to have my own way as a captain. I like to be given the team I want all the time. But it is still not the right way to go. There got to be discussions with the wiser heads from time to time, come to conclusions and flesh out different arguments. I get an impression that he is getting what he wants.

“He is very emotional about his cricket. He means everything he wants to do. In time he will learn. Because he has been so successful since he took over, it is hard for him to change. He has to see other viewpoints and arrive at consensus.”

thecricketer.com