IPL 2018: Kirsten backs Kohli's move to choose Surrey stint over Afghanistan Test

Kirsten was India's coach when they won the World Cup in 2011.

Kirsten is currently working with Kohli in RCB. (AFP)

Ever since Virat Kohli decided to skip the Afghanistan Test match due to his engagement with Surrey, various cricket experts have voiced their opinion on the same. While some back his move, some said that it wasn't such a great choice. Kohli had his own reasons though and as we know Kohli is a man who follows his instincts, he isn't bothered by the criticism. 

Former Indian coach Gary Kirsten though has come out in support if the Indian slipper for this move. Kirsten saw Kohli's development as a player from very close quarters as it was under him that MS Dhoni lifted the World Cup after 28 years in Mumbai in 2011. 

“Strategically he has done a good thing to sign a contract with Surrey for a month. To get acclimatized to the conditions, I think that is very smart. But he has three years more experience now from the last tour. I thought the Indian team, although they didn’t win the series in South Africa they had a very strong series."

“If you take the whole tour they won the ODIs easy. England will be a different kettle of fish at home and they will swing the ball. Anderson and Stuart Broad will be very effective in England. If they can overcome that then potentially they will have a good series,” Kirsten told reporters in Abu Dhabi.

Virat Kohli is taking his tour against England and Ireland with utmost importance. He had a miserable tour of England the last time he was there in 2014. He wants to make the most of it this time around and that is why he took the call of playing in county cricket to prepare well ahead of the series to get adjusted to the conditions.

Squads for the UK tour 

ODI squad 

Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav

T20I squad 

Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Siddarth Kaul, Umesh Yadav

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 09 May, 2018

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