'It felt like a Roll Royce was batting in the middle': Ramiz Raja's high praise for India skipper Virat Kohli

Ramiz Raja said watching Virat Kohli bat in the second innings was like driving a Rolls Royce car.

There were two centurions from the Indian side – Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin - that beat England in the second Test in Chennai but according to former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja it was India captain Virat Kohli who was the best batsman on show on a turning track. Raja praised both Rohit and Ashwin for playing beautifully and laying the foundation of India’s victory but he said that watching Kohli bat in the second innings was like driving a Rolls Royce car.

Virat Kohli batted fluently during his knock of 62 against England. (BCCI)

“The batting was outstanding. When your opener scores above 160, you can’t really question the pitch. And the way Ashwin batted in the second innings using his common sense was superb. But the man who batted the best in the match was Virat Kohli. His footwork exemplary, concentration was very good on a difficult track. It felt like a Rolls Royce was batting in the middle,” Raja said in his YouTube channel.

Kohli, who has not scored a century in any format in more than a year now, has played some crucial innings in his last three Tests. The Indian captain scored a 74 in the day-night Test in Adelaide, a solid 73 in the second innings in the first Test in Chennai but his 62-run innings in the second innings of the second Test was perhaps the best.

Raja said India’s team selection for the second Test was spot on. The former Pakistan batsman said it was a complete performance from India.

“India went ahead of the perfect team. They did not shy away from making bold selections. Axar Patel picked up five wickets on debut, Ravichandran Ashwin scored a century, picked up wickets, the catching was brilliant from India. Overall, it was a complete performance from India. They had lost the first Test, needed to make a turnaround and they did it,” he added.

India beat England by 317 runs to draw level in the series. The two sides will again meet on February 24 in the third Test in Ahmedabad which will also be the first-ever day-night Test between India and England. Speaking about the outcome of the four-match series, Raja said it will be very difficult for England to make a comeback from here.

“My gut feeling says, England will be battered in the rest of the series. India are now in form,” he said.