‘Play with his ego’ – Former England cricketer asks Ben Stokes and Co to get under the skin of Virat Kohli in upcoming five-match Test series

Besides gaining popularity for his ability to score runs and centuries for fun, Virat Kohli is also known for his aggressiveness on the field. The former India captain is someone who thrives in challenging conditions and likes to dominate when opposing teams try to get under his skin. Many have done it over the years and all have tasted their own medicine.

Whenever any team goes up against India, Kohli is one of their main targets, and the players are always warned not to sledge him for their own safety. Meanwhile, contrary to popular opinion, former England spinner Monty Panesar, who was part of the famous 2012/13 series-winning team in India, advised Ben Stokes and Co. to engage in mind games with Kohli.

The 35-year-old had to undergo the worst phase of his career post-Covid for almost three years and since then, we have been witnessing a different side of him. While never compromising on his never-give-up mentality and fighting spirit, Kohli has been relatively more calm and composed on the field. Heeding Panesar’s advice is tantamount to waking up a sleeping lion, will they dare do it when India and England lock horns from January 25?

“Play with his ego and get psychologically stuck into him. They should also say things to him like, you guys are chokers when it comes to the final. They should sledge him on those lines because Stokes has won the ODI and T20 WC and Kohli has not and that is going to mentally pinch him,” Panesar said.

Panesar predicts who will topple Kohli

The numbers prove that Kohli loves playing against England. The right-hander has scored 1,991 runs in 28 matches, his second most against a single opponent. 1015 of those runs came at home, his most against an opposition, with three centuries at an average of 56.38. However, Panesar predicts that veteran pacer James Anderson will dominate Kohli yet again.

The 41-year-old right-arm fast bowler had dismissed Kohli four times in the 2014 series. However, the ace batter has been dismissed only twice across four series, the last being in 2021. Notably, Anderson is also yet to dismiss Kohli on Indian soil. “I think it will be James Anderson and I think it will be the reverse-swing that would get Kohli,” Panesar added.