Published: Aug 07, 2018, 02:52 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 07, 2018, 02:52 PM (IST)
The prospect of facing the world’s No 1 Test batsman and the man who has scored the most ODI centuries barring Sachin Tendulkar may be a daunting one, but it is not one that scares England, says Jason Roy.
READ: 100 hundreds a logical path for run-machine Kohli
During a panel debate at Monday’s MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture with ICC CEO David Richardson and former India opener Sanjay Manjrekar, the England opener was asked by the former Hampshire captain turned TV commentator Mark Nicholas whether England feared Virat Kohli when they played him.
Roy’s reply was immediate: “Not scared of him, no.”
READ: Amazing to see Kohli join the ranks of Gavaskar and Tendulkar: Manjrekar
That bit done with straight off the bat, Roy continued by saying: “He’s obviously a great player, and rightly so, you’ve given him such kind words. He’s an extremely good athlete, an imposing batsman, an imposing figure on the field. We’ve got to find ways of dismantling him somehow, so we can’t give him too much praise right here.”
“We’re not scared of him”@JasonRoy20 says that despite the talents of Virat Kohli, England don’t fear the prospect of coming up against him.
Watch live https://t.co/Za9EqiZPjV#CowdreyLecture pic.twitter.com/nHGKwFE5X9
— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 6, 2018
In 56 internationals against England, Kohli has scored 2635 runs at an average of 43.91, with seven hundreds and 10 fifties. In five Tests with England in India during the 2016-17 season, Kohli made 655 runs at 109.16 with two hundreds and two fifties.
READ: Kohli can score century after 50-day off, others need practice: Gavaskar
In ten matches on the tour of England, he has scored 578 runs at an average of 57.80. In the recent Edgbaston Test, Kohli scored 149 and 51 to followed scores of 71, 45, 75, 43 and 47 in the limited-overs leg.
England lead the five-Test Pataudi Trophy 1-0 after beating India by 31 runs at Edgbaston.
