The career of Virat Kohli, one of cricket’s modern legends, has encountered turbulence in recent times, particularly in the Test format. Following a disappointing tour of Australia where he accumulated just 190 runs in nine innings, the spotlight is firmly on his position in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming series against England.
With a pressing need to regain his form, speculations have arisen about Kohli potentially playing county cricket to prepare for the five-match Test series.
Reports suggested that Virat Kohli’s participation in England’s County Championship could be pivotal in rejuvenating his batting prowess. However, the reality is that engaging in county cricket before the England series proves almost impossible due to the scheduling of the IPL and county matches.
The 2025 IPL season is expected to commence in late March and culminate in the last week of May, coinciding with Kohli’s commitments to the Indian Premier League.
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The first Test of the series against England is set to begin on June 20 at Headingley, leaving a substantial gap after the IPL final, which is likely to take place on May 25. Unfortunately for Virat Kohli, there are no red-ball matches scheduled in the County Championship during this period.
The only matches that overlap with the IPL are the 7th and 8th rounds of County cricket, which fall on May 23-26 and June 22, respectively. This timeline highlights a crucial problem: while the Indian teams will be engaged in the IPL, county teams will shift their focus towards T20 cricket, rendering it impossible for Kohli to participate.
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The only conceivable way for Virat Kohli to play county cricket would be to choose to skip the latter stages of the IPL, a move that is unprecedented for a high-profile Indian cricketer. Kohli’s recent form in Test cricket has raised alarm bells, with only three centuries to his name since 2020, tallying just 2,028 runs across 39 matches. His performance in the past season has been particularly concerning, averaging 22.87 with only 382 runs.
Historically, Virat Kohli has shown a willingness to engage in county cricket, having previously signed with Surrey ahead of India’s 2018 tour; unfortunately, he had to withdraw due to injury. However, now, his opportunity lies with Delhi during the Ranji Trophy, where he can play in the final two league stage matches before shifting his focus to the ODI series against England.
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