'Watch out for Virat Kohli': Michael Vaughan backs India batsman to break century drought against England at Edgbaston

FPJ Web Desk Updated: Friday, July 01, 2022, 04:15 PM IST
Virat Kohli | File Photo

Virat Kohli | File Photo

Former England captain Michael Vaughan reckons India’s Virat Kohli will be the one to watch against the Three Lions during the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston.

The 33-year-old Kohli has been in something of a rut. He has gone more than 100 innings in all forms of cricket including IPL without scoring a hundred since hitting 136 in Kolkata against Bangladesh in November 2019. He has often got starts but he hasn't been able to convert them into big scores.

The former Indian skipper has even reached fifty several times since that innings in Kolkata but hasn't managed to hit his 71st international century yet.

Vaughan expects Kohli to hit form during the Edgbaston Test.

"The Indian player to look out for at Edgbaston is Virat Kohli. Just go back a few years when he produced one of the greatest Test match centuries on this ground. I think he's due. When you look back, how long has it been since he got three figures?” Vaughan was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

"It's been a long, long while for Virat Kohli. If he can get to 30, I reckon he's going to get those three figures that he's been desperately wanting for such a long period of time," he added.

Rahul Dravid not worried

Meanwhile, India head coach Rahul Dravid said that he is not worried about Kohli's century drought, adding that the star batter doesn't lack motivation or desire to succeed rather than he has been the victim of his own lofty standards.

"He's an incredibly fit guy, one of the most hard-working I've ever come across—his desire, his hunger, his attitude to looking after himself, his preparation," said Dravid.

"Even the way he played the game against Leicester, in the kind of conditions out there, scoring the 50-60 he did. He's ticking all the right boxes, he's doing what he needs to do to come out of it.

"As players, you go through these sorts of phases. I don't think in Virat's case it's any lack of motivation. It's not so much about focussing on those three figures. Even a 70 on a difficult wicket in Cape Town, I thought it was a very good innings, even if it didn't convert into a three-figure score," he added.

Published on: Friday, July 01, 2022, 04:15 PM IST

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