Virat Kohli in 'no mood' to retire, but may not be able to justify selection for England tour: 'It would be very hard…'

Virat Kohli’s struggles in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy have intensified questions about the future of his Test career. After yet another dismissal fishing outside the off-stump on the second day of the fifth Test against Australia, Kohli was visibly frustrated, punching his thigh and yelling at himself. He endured similar exits in all eight dismissals across nine innings in the series, raising questions over his future in the Indian Test team. India's Virat Kohli reacts on his dismissal on day two of the fifth Test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground(AFP)

At 36, Kohli’s poor run has raised concerns about whether he could retain his place in the side just on the basis of his stellar achievements of the past. His technical issues have become far too familiar for bowlers across teams to exploit; Kohli ended the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with just 190 runs, which included a century in the first Test in Perth.

However, according to PTI, Kohli is not ready to call it a day yet. The batter is “in no mood to retire,” according to the report, and has set his sights set on playing through to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

But some concerns have been raised, especially regarding his participation in the upcoming England tour in June. A former national selector, in a chat with PTI, pointed out that it “would be very hard for selectors to pick either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli on the basis of IPL performance or form. There has to be some red-ball cricket for them in the lead-up to the England tour.”

Will Kohli play domestic red-ball games?

Despite speculation, Kohli has reportedly not yet shown interest in playing in the Ranji Trophy, which resumes on January 23. His Delhi side is set to play Saurashtra in Rajkot, but with India’s packed schedule ahead, it seems unlikely he will fit in any red-ball cricket before the crucial England tour.

Days after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, England are scheduled to tour India for three ODIs, and it remains to be seen whether Kohli will be the part of the series. Given that this will be India's final fifty-over series before the Champions Trophy in February, there's a strong likelihood that the Indian legend will feature in the squad.

The Ranji Trophy, however, also ends in February, which will be followed by the IPL, where Kohli is expected to captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Hence, it would be hard for Kohli to fit in red-ball action before the tour of England.

If he does not play any domestic cricket, his only option to have a hit out with the red ball could be a few India A games ahead of the start of the England Test series.

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