Middlesex confirm interest in ‘iconic player of his generation’ Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli could yet be seen batting in England once more after Middlesex confirmed they are keen to lure India’s recently retired galáctico to Lord’s. The 36-year-old called time on his stellar Test career at the start of the week, ruling himself out of the five-Test series in England that begins at Headingley next month. But notably his statement said nothing about drawing a line through first-class cricket.

Middlesex have form when it comes to using Lord’s as a pull for star overseas talent, having signed South Africa’s AB de Villiers for the T20 Blast in 2019 and attracted New Zealand’s Kane Williamson over for the second half of this season. Both deals came about in collaboration with MCC – Williamson will also play for London Spirit – and officials there have indicated they would be happy to similarly split the cost of any deal for Kohli. There is a belief that, as someone steeped in the sport’s history, Kohli is keen to play at the Home of Cricket again.

Alan Coleman, director of cricket at Middlesex, said: “Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so of course we are interested in having that conversation.”

Still contracted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and playing in the Indian Premier League, Kohli is barred from featuring in domestic T20 cricket overseas, ruling him out of the Blast and the Hundred. But, as with other Indian players, he could play in the County Championship or the Metro Bank Cup.

Promotion-chasing Middlesex do not play at Lord’s during the mid-summer block of championship matches and have just one of their Metro Bank Cup fixtures there in August. They then return in September for Division Two games against Derbyshire and Gloucestershire.

Were Kohli to play that final block of red-ball cricket, which also includes a game against Lancashire at Old Trafford and thus a possible reunion with Jimmy Anderson, it would form something of a fantasy middle-order partnership with Williamson. Even at the end of the season, Lord’s would expect this to a draw a bumper crowd.

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Kohli has a home in London and has stated his interest in playing in the County Championship, signing for Surrey before India’s tour of England in 2018. A neck injury saw the deal fall through but he went on to enjoy a stellar series and be named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year.

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