Virat Kohli Will Not be Missed in White-Ball Cricket? Ex-English Cricketer Makes Shocking Claim

Ind vs NZ: Virat Kohli is easily one of the best white-ball batters of the era and there is little to no doubt about it. And in recent times, he has taken his white-ball game to the next level where he is shattering records in every game. Kohli is in-between an amazing run in 50-over cricket - he has hit six consecutive fifty-plus scores - the run started since the last ODI at SCG in Australia. 

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For the unversed, Kohli only plays the 50-overs format as he has thrown in the towel in T20Is and Tests. Months after his retirement in Tests, former England cricketer Monty Panesar reckons Kohli is needed more in Tests for India. 

'In white-ball format, you won't miss Virat Kohli that much'

“In white-ball format, you won't miss Virat Kohli that much. But yes, in Test Cricket, it's evident that Virat Kohli is not there, and the team's intensity is lower. Indian players are not ready for Test Cricket. In India, players who perform well in T20 and ODI don't perform well in Test Cricket,” he said on ANI. 

He added: "The gap between Ranji Trophy and India's Test team is significant. The Ranji Trophy system is also very weak. The boys just want to play in IPL. They want to get a big contract. They want to play in T20I and ODI. It takes a lot of hard work in 4-day cricket. That's why they want to give less time. Right now, the Indian team is weak in Test cricket. This is the reality. It's not that strong. It will take time. When you retire three big players, it becomes difficult to keep the remaining players ready."

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When Would Kohli be Next Seen? 

The former India captain would next be seen playing for India in a three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home starting January 11.