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Cricket PlayersIndia vs England: ‘He will be hungry to lead and play well,' Jos Buttler wary of Virat Kohli threat
Rewind to 2016. England had toured India for a five-Test series and were blanked 0-4. Once again, who was their bane? None other than Kohli, who had amassed 655 runs with one century, one double ton and two fifties.
The last time India and England played a Test series was in 2018. Although England walked away with the series with a convincing 3-1 reading, one India batsman who was a thorn consistently in their eyes was captain Virat Kohli, who had banished the demons of his previous tour of England and burned up the charts, scoring 593 runs at an average of 59.30, including two centuries and three fifties.
Rewind to 2016. England had toured India for a five-Test series and were blanked 0-4. Once again, who was their bane? None other than Kohli, who had amassed 655 runs with one century, one double ton and two fifties.
Kohli has led India in 56 Tests, of which the team has won 33. With a win percentage of 58.92, Kohli is India's most successful Test captain. However, the last match in which Kohli captained India, the team slipped to its lowest Test total of 36.
Hence, there is no doubt that Kohli will be high on England's agenda when the four-Test series kicks off from February 5 in Chennai. Wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler is aware of the damage the India captain can inflict and the fact that he did not play the remaining three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India won 2-1, will make him extra motivated.
"Virat would be coming back, had some time away from Test matches and he will be hungry to lead and play well, so it is going to be a great challenge," Buttler said vie a virtual press conference on Saturday.
Like Kohli, Buttler and the rest of the England unit are not strangers to what this Indian team can achieve. With half the squad injured, India beat Australia and capped off a memorable 2-1 series win. Buttler pointed out, albeit in jest, that such formidable is the bench strength of the hosts that he will not fancy facing even a second-string Indian unit.
"Obviously, the Australian series really showed world cricket the amazing strength and depth in Indian cricket. To go and win that series in Australia, when you are missing Virat (Kohli) after the first Test and having so many injuries, just shows there is fantastic strength and depth, competition in Indian cricket," he added.
"A lot of cricketers, a lot of them (brought up) from the IPL, so (not) wanting to face either team really, but I know there will be no complacency from the Indian side."
