Credits: BCCI/X
Former India skipper and talismanic batter Virat Kohli will reportedly play in the County Championship after the 2025 Indian Premier League season. According to reports, the cricketer will participate in the tournament to prepare for the Test series against England. Notably, following the completion of the IPL 2025, India will tour England for a five-match Test series, which is set to begin on June 20. It is very well known that Kohli has been struggling with the bat, and the batting stalwart hasn’t been able to make runs in the past few matches.
While the cricketer might have decided to play in the County Championship, the plan would completely depend on whether or not Royal Challengers Bengaluru qualify for the playoffs or not. It is to be noted that the IPL 2025 final is scheduled for May 25, while the England series will start on June 20. According to reports by RevSportz, as Kohli will play in County, his schedule and plans will depend on RCB’s qualification. If RCB make it to the IPL final, Kohli will have two weeks to play County cricket and acclimate to English conditions.
How will County Championship participation help Kohli regain his form?
In the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Kohli’s weakness outside off stump was badly exposed. The talismanic batter was often caught edging deliveries on the fourth stump line. Not only this, but the last few series against England haven’t gone according to Kohli’s plans. It means that playing County cricket would be a perfect way for Kohli to not only sharpen his skills but also regain his confidence.
As mentioned, Kohli’s participation in county cricket will also depend on the IPL season. The 36-year-old is an integral part of the Bengaluru-based franchise and is most likely to return to the captaincy position. Speaking about his Test form, the cricketer endured a lean patch in 2024, where he scored only 417 runs from 10 Tests at a moderate average of 24.52. According to stats, his average has dipped to 31.81 since 2021.
