Virat Kohli to play in County Championship? Middlesex confirm interest in recently retired batting great

Virat Kohli might have ruled himself out of the England Test tour after announcing his retirement from the longest format of the game but we could still see the 36-year-old play in the UK this year.

English domestic side Middlesex are interested in luring the Indian batting great to play at Lord’s, according to a report in the Guardian.

While Kohli called time on his red-ball international career, he could still play in the County Championship or the Metro Bank Cup (ODI) if a deal could be reached between all parties.

'Iconic player'

Kohli can't, however, play in either The Hundred competition or the T20 Blast. This is because he is still contracted with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which bars players under their payroll from appearing in foreign T20 leagues.

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

The report stated that Middlesex, who are chasing promotion to the top division, will not play at the Lord’s cricket ground during the mid-summer block of championship matches and have only one Metro Bank Cup fixture at the venue in August.

The side will then return in September for Division Two games against Derbyshire and Gloucestershire and hope Kohli could take part.

Enticing partnerships

If Middlesex pull off a deal with Kohli for their final round of County Championship fixtures, he could line up against an old foe.

Middlesex have a game against Lancashire at Old Trafford and former England pacer James Anderson plays for the latter.

He could also form a middle-order partnership with New Zealand's Kane Williamson, which would have fans drooling at that prospect.

Middlesex would hope to entice Kohli with a short-term deal as the former India skipper has a home in London that he shares with wife Anushka Sharma and their two children.

He has also stated his interest in playing in the County Championship, and even signed for Surrey before India’s tour of England in 2018. However, a neck injury meant Kohli couldn't not turn out in England domestic cricket and the deal fell apart.

But he did enjoy a superb series with the bat and went on to be named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of that year.