“Do not remember anyone on a large scale that average 33”: Von on Virat Kohli

Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan took a jibe at Virat Kohli over his record in England ahead of the IND vs ENG 1st Test. The tour to the UK will mark the first time in a decade that neither Rohit or Virat will be a part of the Indian team. Kohli took the world by surprise in May by announcing his abrupt decision to retire from Tests, just before the start of the new WTC cycle.

Vaughan plays down Kohli’s absence

Speaking to Fox Sports, Vaughan claimed that India won’t massively miss Kohli who averaged just 33.21 in England. For the record, the batting maestro has scored 1096 runs in 17 Tests in England, including two hundreds and five half-centuries. Vaughan reckoned that India won’t miss Virat the batter but the culture creator who brought so much to the dressing room.

“Kohli is a legend and a culture creator around this Indian team, and what he brought as a captain to the team is still there in terms of the energy and the drive and the aggression. But he only averaged 33 here in the UK. You don’t massively miss someone that averages 33, but you miss someone that brings so much to the dressing room,” Vaughan said.

Virat’s number 4 spot in the line-up will now be occupied by new Test skipper Shubman Gill. The absence of Rohit and Virat also gives some youngsters like Sai Sudharsan or Dhruv Jurel an opportunity to break into the playing XI.

However, Vaughan backed the new generation of Indian players to do well in the absence of the veteran duo of Rohit and Virat. He said that one shouldn’t be surprised if they play really well in England and claimed that they perhaps must have been waiting for this moment.

“Maybe this new generation has been waiting. Maybe they’ve been waiting for this moment. Don’t be surprised that they play really well,” he added.