COUNTY side Middlesex have expressed interest in bringing Indian batting legend Virat Kohli to Lord’s following his shock retirement from Test cricket last week, according to media reports.
Kohli, 36, announced his immediate departure from the five day format last Monday (12), ruling himself out of India’s upcoming tour of England that begins next month at Headingley.
His decision came days after India captain Rohit Sharma also stepped away from Test cricket.
Alan Coleman, director of cricket at Middlesex, confirmed the club’s desire to sign the former India captain.
“Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so of course we are interested in having that conversation,” Coleman told the Guardian.
Middlesex has attracted foreign players, having previously signed South Africa’s AB de Villiers for the T20 Blast in 2019 and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson for the second half of this season.
Both deals were arranged in collaboration with MCC, who have reportedly indicated their willingness to share costs for any potential Kohli agreement.
Sources suggest Kohli, known for his appreciation of cricket’s traditions, might be keen to play again at Lord’s, regarded as the ‘home of cricket’.
While Kohli’s contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prevents him from playing domestic T20 cricket overseas – ruling out appearances in the Blast or the Hundred – he could potentially feature in the County Championship or the Metro Bank Cup.
This would not be the first time Kohli has shown an interest in county cricket. In 2018, he signed for Surrey before India’s tour of England, though the move was ultimately cancelled due to a neck injury. He went on to have an outstanding series in England that year, earning recognition as one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year.
Middlesex’s potential signing of Kohli comes at an interesting time in his career. After announcing his retirement on Instagram to his 271 million followers, Kohli reflected on his 14-year Test journey: “As I step away from this format, it’s not easy – but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for.”
The timing of Kohli’s retirement has sparked discussion, with some pointing to his recent dip in form. After maintaining an average close to 55 between 2011 and 2019, his average fell to 32.56 over the past 24 months.
His final Test appearance came in Sydney in January, where India lost both the match and the series 3-1 to Australia.
During that tour, apart from an unbeaten century in Perth, Kohli managed just 90 runs from eight innings across the five-Test series.
Should he join Middlesex, fans may be treated to a fantasy middle-order partnership with Williamson in September. The county’s promotion-chasing side returns to Lord’s that month for Division Two games against Derbyshire and Gloucestershire, after playing most of their mid-summer fixtures away from the historic ground.
The potential deal could also set up a reunion with England’s veteran bowler Jimmy Anderson during Middlesex’s match against Lancashire at Old Trafford, reigniting one of cricket’s most compelling rivalries.
Kohli, said to own a home in London, is currently displaying excellent form in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has scored 505 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 63.13 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
During his Test career, Kohli amassed 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 halfcenturies. His highest score was an unbeaten 254.
He also holds the record as India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins from 68 matches, ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (27 wins from 60) and Sourav Ganguly (21 from 49).
Kohli’s retirement from Tests follows his earlier departure from T20Is after helping India win the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year with a match-winning innings in the final. He continues to be available for ODIs and is expected to feature in India’s ODI series against Australia in October.
,Chopra in action during the event