‘Kohli too good a player to miss out in England’ – Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain, said he was happy Virat Kohli did not eventually play county cricket this season ahead of India's long tour of England.

Kohli was to play six matches for Surrey in June in a bid to acclimatise to English conditions ahead of India’s lengthy tour, comprising three Twenty20 Internationals, three one-day internationals and five Tests.

However, a neck injury just before he was due to leave for Surrey sidelined him.

“I am happy that he (Kohli) did not play county cricket before the England series," Ganguly told the Press Trust of India. “I think he was eager to play county (ahead of the tour) because he was panicky after not having a good tour last time around.”

Ganguly was referring to Kohli’s performance when India toured England in 2014 – he scored just 134 runs in ten innings at 13.40. However, this time around, Ganguly said he was expecting a much better display from the India captain.

"Kohli is a fantastic player," said Ganguly. "He will do well this time. He is too good a player to miss out."

Kohli has now fully recovered from the neck injury. He has had an extended period of rest since the IPL, and, before India left for England, said missing out on the county stint might prove a blessing in disguise.

“In hindsight, when I look at it now, it's the best thing that has happened for me," said Kohli. "I wanted to go and experience as this is the place where we haven't played so much. There's big gap of four years and you forget what conditions were when you played last time.

“I would have gone there feeling 90 percent, rather than (the) 110 percent that I feel right now. I would rather be like this as I needed to be fresh for the tour. Although (this was) not intended, this is the best thing to have happened.”

The limited-overs clash between India and England is also highly anticipated. England eased to victory in their five-match ODI series against Australia, and Ganguly said he was looking forward to the ODI leg of the tour as well.

"India's chances are bright but England are also in good form. It will be a closely contested series,” he said.

India will play two T20Is in Ireland on 27 June and 29 June before beginning their tour of England with a three-match T20I series in Manchester.