Virat Kohli,
Image Courtesy: BCCI

Virat Kohli‘s decision to ply his trade in county cricket next month to prepare himself for the England tour has very much divided the cricketing fraternity into two halves.

The reason behind the same is Virat’s decision to skip the one-off Test against Afghanistan scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on June 14.

With the game holding so much history, Kohli playing it would have made the occasion grander. However, the India skipper has decided to give it a miss to play for Surrey in County Championship.

Last week, Virat signed up for Surrey. The 29-year old will be available for all cricket throughout June until the close of Surrey’s away game to Yorkshire. The batting star would be desperate to do well in England this time around.

BCCI Unhappy with Virat Kohli's Decision to Skip Afghanistan Test for County Stint
Credits: Getty

Last time, India had visited England, Kohli had endured a disastrous outing. India lost the series 3-1, and Kohli was one of the worst performers. He averaged just 13.40 in ten innings with a top score of 39.

But his decision to play county to make amends for the 2014 tour has not gone down well with the BCCI officials. The board members feel that Kohli is setting a bad precedent.

The officials are also hopeful the India skipper would return in time for the Afghanistan game.

“The decision by Kohli of dropping a Test match to play county cricket for practice for the England series is also a surprising decision. If this particular plan was known earlier – the BCCI may not have scheduled the Afghanistan Test. It is not just another Test with a new Test team but in fact is going to be a historic and emotional event from many viewpoints and the visiting team deserves every ounce of respect that the hosts can give them,” a board official told CricketNext.

Indian Players
Credits: AP

“I can understand the captain wanting to prepare well for the next series, but the captaincy of India comes with responsibilities. However, I do hope he is able to fly back to India to play the Test and then join Surrey after the Test because ultimately it does appear that it is his wishes that are being catered to by the COA and the CEO, and the processes of decision making appear to be organised around that,” he added.

After the Afghanistan Test, India will visit Ireland for a two-T20 series before flying to England.

Read More  Rohit Sharma against Virat Kohli's T20 World Cup selection? Kirti Azad drops 'at any cost' bombshell 

An avid cricket lover, I just love this game more than anything. Writing about cricket keeps me closer to the game.