IND vs BAN: Virat Kohli blasted for skipping Duleep Trophy, warned about Bangladesh’s spin by ex-CSK star

Former India National Cricket Team and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter S Badrinath has issued a major warning to batting maestro Virat Kohli ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh National Cricket Team.

Kohli is all set to make his return to Test cricket after missing a huge home series against the England National Cricket Team earlier in the year due to the birth of his child.

Virat Kohli had pulled out of the five-match Test series against the Three Lions, and his last appearance in the purest format of the game was on January 3 & 4 in the Cape Town Test against the South Africa National Cricket Team.

Kohli has played 6 Test matches against Bangladesh and has scored 437 runs at an amazing average of 54.62, with two centuries and a highest score of 204.

Ahead of the series, S Badrinath spoke about how Virat Kohli skipping the Duleep Trophy could have a negative impact on his game against Bangladesh spinners. In an interaction with InsideSport, he said:

"It would have been good for Virat to play one of the Duleep Trophy matches that is happening. So, I think, yes, Bangladesh, we all know that they are one of the best spinner tanks. Every third person in every street has a left-arm spinner in Bangladesh.

"So, they will definitely come with left-arm spinners into this India series. So, that's where I thought that probably it would have been good for Virat to play one of the Duleep Trophy matches that is happening. So, I think, how much ever you practice in the nets, it might be one match or two matches equal to 100 net sessions, is what I feel."

Virat Kohli is the number one Test batsman - S Badrinath

S Badrinath added that featuring in one of the Duleep Trophy matches would have helped Virat Kohli to get into the groove before facing Bangladesh spinners on the Indian tracks. He elaborated:

"I think what you can learn in these… So, probably I would have loved to see, as purely as a cricket expert, I am not advising or asking him to do anything. But as a cricket expert, I thought that probably in one match, if he had played the Duleep Trophy, it would help him play against the spinners. Just to get into the groove.

"Just to refresh your memory about what it is to play in India against the spinners. But he is a great player. I think he will come up with the goals."

S Badrinath further said that a big Test season is coming up for India, and Virat Kohli, who he feels is the No.1 batsman, will have to make significant contributions to help his team play well and book a spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship for the third consecutive time. He elaborated:

"Big Test season coming up for India. And I still believe Virat is the number one test batsman. For India to do well in Test cricket, in WTC and all that, I think Virat is going to be the key."

On Friday, September 13, the India National Cricket Team stars were engaged in a highly intense practice session, and Kohli reportedly batted for 45 minutes in the nets.